The significance of tumor staging

The significance of tumor staging

Author: Han Shengnan Jiaxing Second Hospital

Reviewer: Shen Wenyan, deputy chief physician, Jiaxing Second Hospital

The pathology report of each tumor patient will indicate the "tumor stage". Many patients believe that tumor stage is nothing more than early, middle and late stages. In fact, this is not the case. Tumor stage has complex evaluation criteria and is the result of comprehensive evaluation. So, how should we understand tumor stage? What is the significance of tumor stage for patients?

Figure 1 Copyright image. No permission to reprint.

What is tumor staging?

Tumor staging is the process of defining the amount and location of a malignant tumor in the body. It describes the severity of a malignant tumor based on the size of the primary tumor and how far the tumor has spread in the body.

What is the significance of tumor staging?

Tumor staging can help clinicians develop reasonable treatment plans; help patients predict prognosis; help evaluate treatment effectiveness; and help different medical institutions exchange and compare clinical data; and is more conducive to promoting cancer research and monitoring.

The patient's tumor stage is determined by analyzing the results of different tests, including physical examination, imaging tests (such as X-ray, CT, MRI, bone scan, PET-CT examination, etc.), laboratory tests (such as blood routine, urine routine, etc.), and biopsy. In some cases, the doctor will perform surgery on the patient to remove the tumor and/or nearby lymph nodes or obtain tissue samples to explore the extent of the tumor, and combine the above test results to give a staging definition.

Figure 2 Copyright image is not authorized for reproduction

For most malignant tumors, the TNM staging system is the most commonly used staging system in the medical field today. The system was originally proposed by Professor Pierre Denoix between 1943 and 1952, and was subsequently developed and maintained by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). It is updated every 6 to 8 years to incorporate new conclusions drawn by international medical researchers from staging studies.

Therefore, the content and significance of tumor staging are very valuable, and it is not just as simple as early, middle and late stages!

<<:  The unity of aging and evolution: Why do lifespans vary so much across species?

>>:  There are so many types of uterine fibroids. Can hysteroscopy detect them all?

Recommend

The simplest way for women to nourish Yang Qi

Qi and blood are actually the energy of the human...

Whooping cough - did you know?

1. What is whooping cough As the name suggests, w...

Does having sex after ovulation affect implantation?

Women who are preparing for pregnancy can easily ...

Don't doubt it, the toothbrush you are using may be dirtier than the toilet

There are always colleagues complaining about the...

Which method of abortion causes the least harm?

In fact, there are two ways for women to choose a...

The "3 sins" of cross-eyes are more serious than most people think!

"Wow, you can even cross your eyes, so cute~...

Can pregnancy be detected in 8 days?

Pregnancy can be detected by urine HCG test on th...

How long does it take for menstruation to be normal after giving birth?

After giving birth, the thing that women care abo...

What are the obvious symptoms of herpes in women?

Herpes is a common skin disease. The most obvious...

How to treat female menopausal syndrome?

We can find some older women around us. When we g...

What are the drugs for treating pelvic inflammatory disease?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is a common gynecolog...

Can a person with epilepsy have a child?

Many women with epilepsy are very worried about w...