Staging of tumors helps the doctor to tell how extensive the disease is. However, several scans have to be done and tests carried out for a proper diagnosis. From the results, management plans can then be drawn. This is why professionals in the medical field emphasize on prostate cancer staging.
The cancer of the prostate is staged using TNM stages. This is in the international standard of staging. It assesses the tumor, lymph nodes and the degree of spread. If the tumor is said to be in T1, it means that the area affected is too small and thus a diagnosis cannot be made through palpation or scans. A needle biopsy has to be done in order to pick this up.
Tumors in stage T2 are classified into three categories. The first one is T2a which indicates that only one lobe of the prostate gland is affected. In T2b, more than half of gland is affected and in T2c stage the entire lobe is affected. On the other hand, if the tumor has left the prostate gland to affect the capsule but has not spread further is said to be in stage T3. This stage has two categories. T3a and T3b where the malignancy has reached the capsule and seminal vesicles respectively.
The final stage in tumor classification is T4 stage in which the tumor is found in various body organs. The nearby organs are mostly affected including the rectum, muscles, bladder and the pelvic cavity sides. The fourth and third stages are the most difficult to manage.
In lymph node staging, the guiding factor is the severity of the condition in the lymph nodes. They are said to be positive if they contain cancer cells. This makes them to swell. In NX stage, it is not possible to check them and in N0 stage the lymph nodes adjacent to the prostate have no cancer cells. However, in N1 stage, the malignancy has reached the lymph nodes.
When classifying according to the degree of spread, the first stage is M0 which signifies that the tumor is confined just within the pelvis. In M1, the cancer has finally got out of the pelvis. It has sub stages. The first one is the M1a where the lymph nodes next to the pelvis have been affected and M1b means the skeletal system has been affected by the tumor. In M1c, the malignancy has eventually spread to the rest of a body. A couple of factors are considered in doing the staging.
Locally advanced type of prostate cancer extends just to the capsule of this gland but the metastasizing type spreads to many of body organs. Mainly, the victims of this spread are the bones and lymph nodes. This is why early detection is stressed to prevent such complications.
Metastasis can occur when the tumor is still in its initial stages. That is why people are advised to regularly go for blood tests and scans for early diagnosis. If some cancerous cells are found in other body organs, immediate action should be taken to control the spread.
The cancer of the prostate is staged using TNM stages. This is in the international standard of staging. It assesses the tumor, lymph nodes and the degree of spread. If the tumor is said to be in T1, it means that the area affected is too small and thus a diagnosis cannot be made through palpation or scans. A needle biopsy has to be done in order to pick this up.
Tumors in stage T2 are classified into three categories. The first one is T2a which indicates that only one lobe of the prostate gland is affected. In T2b, more than half of gland is affected and in T2c stage the entire lobe is affected. On the other hand, if the tumor has left the prostate gland to affect the capsule but has not spread further is said to be in stage T3. This stage has two categories. T3a and T3b where the malignancy has reached the capsule and seminal vesicles respectively.
The final stage in tumor classification is T4 stage in which the tumor is found in various body organs. The nearby organs are mostly affected including the rectum, muscles, bladder and the pelvic cavity sides. The fourth and third stages are the most difficult to manage.
In lymph node staging, the guiding factor is the severity of the condition in the lymph nodes. They are said to be positive if they contain cancer cells. This makes them to swell. In NX stage, it is not possible to check them and in N0 stage the lymph nodes adjacent to the prostate have no cancer cells. However, in N1 stage, the malignancy has reached the lymph nodes.
When classifying according to the degree of spread, the first stage is M0 which signifies that the tumor is confined just within the pelvis. In M1, the cancer has finally got out of the pelvis. It has sub stages. The first one is the M1a where the lymph nodes next to the pelvis have been affected and M1b means the skeletal system has been affected by the tumor. In M1c, the malignancy has eventually spread to the rest of a body. A couple of factors are considered in doing the staging.
Locally advanced type of prostate cancer extends just to the capsule of this gland but the metastasizing type spreads to many of body organs. Mainly, the victims of this spread are the bones and lymph nodes. This is why early detection is stressed to prevent such complications.
Metastasis can occur when the tumor is still in its initial stages. That is why people are advised to regularly go for blood tests and scans for early diagnosis. If some cancerous cells are found in other body organs, immediate action should be taken to control the spread.
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