Stages

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

STAGES OF THYROID CANCER

Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer

Stage I

• In patients younger than 45 years, cancer may have spread within the neck or upper chest and/or to nearby lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body.
• In patients aged 45 years and older, the tumor is 2 centimeters (about ¾ inch) or smaller and in the thyroid only.

Stage II

• In patients younger than 45 years, the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
• In patients aged 45 years and older, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters (between ¾ and 1½ inches) in the thyroid only.

Stage III

The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor either:

• is larger than 4 centimeters; or
• may be any size and has spread just outside the thyroid and/or to lymph nodes in the neck.

Stage IVA

The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor may be any size and has spread within the neck and/or to lymph nodes in the neck or upper chest.

Stage IVB

The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor may be any size and has spread to neck tissues near the backbone or around blood vessels in the neck or upper chest. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes.

Stage IVC

The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. 

Medullary thyroid cancer

Stage 0

No tumor is found in the thyroid but the cancer is detected by screening tests. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.

Stage I

The tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and in the thyroid only.

Stage II

The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters and is in the thyroid only.

Stage III

The tumor either:

• is larger than 4 centimeters; or
• may be any size and has spread just outside the thyroid and/or to lymph nodes in the neck.

Stage IVA

The tumor may be any size and has spread within the neck and/or to lymph nodes in the neck or upper chest.

Stage IVB

The tumor may be any size and has spread to neck tissues near the backbone or around blood vessels in the neck or upper chest. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes.

Stage IVC

Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. 

Anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is considered to be stage IV thyroid cancer. It grows quickly and has usually spread within the neck when it is found. Anaplastic thyroid cancer develops most often in older people.

Reference:

National Cancer Institute, USA.