It is important to know the stage of a cancer in order to plan treatment.
STAGES OF STOMACH CANCER
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
In stage 0, cancer is found only in the inside lining of the mucosal (innermost) layer of the stomach wall. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.
Stage I
Stage I stomach cancer is divided into stage IA and stage IB, depending on where the cancer has spread.
- Stage IA: Cancer has spread completely through the mucosal (innermost) layer of the stomach wall.
- Stage IB: Cancer has spread:
- completely through the mucosal (innermost) layer of the stomach wall and is found in up to 6 lymph nodes near the tumor; or
- to the muscularis (middle) layer of the stomach wall.
Stage II
In stage II stomach cancer, cancer has spread:
- completely through the mucosal (innermost) layer of the stomach wall and is found in 7 to 15 lymph nodes near the tumor; or
- to the muscularis (middle) layer of the stomach wall and is found in up to 6 lymph nodes near the tumor; or
- to the serosal (outermost) layer of the stomach wall but not to lymph nodes or other organs.
Stage III
Stage III stomach cancer is divided into stage IIIA and stage IIIB depending on where the cancer has spread.
- Stage IIIA: Cancer has spread to:
- the muscularis (middle) layer of the stomach wall and is found in 7 to 15 lymph nodes near the tumor; or
- the serosal (outermost) layer of the stomach wall and is found in 1 to 6 lymph nodes near the tumor; or
- organs next to the stomach but not to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
- Stage IIIB: Cancer has spread to the serosal (outermost) layer of the stomach wall and is found in 7 to 15 lymph nodes near the tumor.
Stage IV
In stage IV, cancer has spread to:
- organs next to the stomach and to at least one lymph node; or
- more than 15 lymph nodes; or
- other parts of the body.
Reference:
National Cancer Institute, USA.
|