Stages

It is important to know the stage of a cancer in order to plan treatment.

STAGES OF LUNG CANCER

Non-small cell lung cancer

Occult (hidden) stage

In the occult (hidden) stage, cancer cells are found in sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs), but no tumor can be found in the lung by imaging or bronchoscopy, or the primary tumor is too small to be checked.

Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ)

In stage 0 (carcinoma in situ), cancer is in the lung only and has not spread beyond the innermost lining of the lung.

Stage I

Stage I is divided into stages IA and IB:

Stage IA: The tumor is in the lung only and is 3 centimeters or smaller.

Stage IB: One or more of the following is true:

• The tumor is larger than 3 centimeters.
• Cancer has spread to the main bronchus of the lung, and is at least 2 centimeters from the carina (where the trachea joins the bronchi).
• Cancer has spread to the innermost layer of the membrane that covers the lungs.
• The tumor partly blocks the bronchus or bronchioles and part of the lung has collapsed or developed pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung).

Stage II

Stage II is divided into stages IIA and IIB:

Stage IIA: The tumor is 3 centimeters or smaller and cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumor.

Stage IIB

Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumor and one or more of the following is true:

• The tumor is larger than 3 centimeters.
• Cancer has spread to the main bronchus of the lung and is 2 centimeters or more from the carina (where the trachea joins the bronchi).
• Cancer has spread to the innermost layer of the membrane that covers the lungs.
• The tumor partly blocks the bronchus or bronchioles and part of the lung has collapsed or developed pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung).

or

Cancer has not spread to lymph nodes and one or more of the following is true:

• The tumor may be any size and cancer has spread to the chest wall, or the diaphragm, or the pleura between the lungs, or membranes surrounding the heart.
• Cancer has spread to the main bronchus of the lung and is no more than 2 centimeters from the carina (where the trachea meets the bronchi), but has not spread to the trachea.
• Cancer blocks the bronchus or bronchioles and the whole lung has collapsed or developed pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung).

Stage IIIA

In stage IIIA, cancer has spread to lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumor. Also:

• The tumor may be any size.
• Cancer may have spread to the main bronchus, the chest wall, the diaphragm, the pleura around the lungs, or the membrane around the heart, but has not spread to the trachea.
• Part or all of the lung may have collapsed or developed pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung).

Stage IIIB

In stage IIIB, the tumor may be any size and may have spread to any of the following:

• Heart.
• Major blood vessels that lead to or from the heart.
• Chest wall.
• Diaphragm.
• Trachea.
• Esophagus.
• Sternum (chest bone) or backbone.
• More than one place in the same lobe of the lung.
• The fluid of the pleural cavity surrounding the lung.
• Llymph nodes on either side of the chest.

Stage IV

In stage IV, cancer has spread to other parts of the body or to another lobe of the lungs and may have spread to lymph nodes.

Small cell lung cancer

Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

In limited-stage, cancer is found in one lung, the tissues between the lungs, and nearby lymph nodes only.

Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

In extensive-stage, cancer has spread outside of the lung in which it began or to other parts of the body.

Reference:

National Cancer Institute, USA.