Stomach Cancer Stages

Stomach cancer is also known as 'gastric cancer'. It can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread to different parts of the stomach and also to other organs. The organs, which can be affected include esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes and the liver. According to the statistics, there are about 800,000 deaths due to stomach cancer world wide every year. When a person has been diagnosed with stomach cancer, different tests are carried out to know, the spread of cancer within the stomach and to other parts of the body. The process, which is used to find the spread of cancer within the stomach or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information, that is gathered from the staging process is able to determine the stage of the disease. Once the stomach cancer stages and prognosis is clear, the plan of treatment be determined. Now let's read on how is stomach cancer staged.

What are the Stages of Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer staging and prognosis help to describe the size and spread of cancer. Stomach cancer is normally divided into five stages. Where small and localized spread of cancer is termed as stage one and the spread to the surrounding structure is called stage three. When cancer spreads to other parts of the body it is known as stage four. Stage two cancer, is when it spreads to distant parts of the body. It is also called secondary cancer or metastatic cancer.

Stage 0
This is the most basic of the stomach cancer stage. In this stage abnormal cells are found in the inside lining of the innermost layer of the stomach wall. These cells may become cancerous and spread to normal tissue around. The stage 0 is also known as carcinoma in situ

Stage I
In this stage, it is clear that cancerous growths have been formed in the stomach. Stage I cancer can also be divided into two parts, depending on the spread of cancer. Stage IA cancer spreads completely through the innermost layer of the stomach wall. Whereas in stage IB, cancer spreads completely through the innermost layer of the stomach wall may be found up to 6 lymph nodes located near the tumor or it spreads to the middle layer of the stomach wall.

Stage II
When cancer grows and goes into the stage II, three conditions may be found. The cancer spreads to the second layer of the stomach wall and spreads to lymph nodes further away from the tumor. The other possibility is, that cancer spreads to the muscle layer of the stomach and also to the lymph nodes very close to the tumor. In last case, cancer may have spread to all layers of the stomach wall, but has not spread to lymph nodes or other organs.

Stage III
The stage III cancer is also divided into two parts namely stage IIIA and stage IIIB, depending on the spread of cancer. If it is a stage IIIA cancer, then it has spread to the middle layer of the stomach wall and may be also to 7 to 15 lymph nodes close to the tumor. The other possibility is, that cancer is spread to the outermost layer of the stomach wall and may be found in 1 to 6 lymph nodes closer the tumor. The last option is that the stage IIIA cancer has spread to organs next to the stomach, but not to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Stage IIIB cancer is the one, which spreads to the outermost layer of the stomach wall and is also found in 7 to 15 lymph nodes located near the tumor.

Stage IV
This is the terminal stomach cancer stage, where the cancer spreads to organs next to the stomach and at least to one of the lymph node. The cancer may spread to more than 15 lymph nodes. In some cases stage IV cancer spreads to the other parts of the body.

The treatment will be decided depending on stomach cancer stages. Surgery can be used to remove the affected tissue. Often after surgery the patient may have to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy to ensure all cancer cells are destroyed.