Staging for lung cancer

Once a definite diagnosis of cancer has been made and your healthcare team has the information it needs, the cancer will be given a stage.The cancer stage describes the tumour size and tells whether it has spread beyond the place where it started to grow. The staging is different for each type of lung cancer because they behave and grow differently.

Staging for non–small cell lung cancer

Stage	Description
Occult carcinoma	Cancer cells are found in the sputum coughed up from the lungs, but a tumour cannot be seen in the lung.
0	Abnormal cells are found in the lining of the lung or of the air passages (trachea, bronchi or bronchioles). Abnormal cells have not spread to the tissues of the lung itself, but the cells may become cancerous and then spread. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.
1	Stage 1A: The tumour is in the lung only and is less than 3 cm in size. Stage 1B : The tumour is larger than 3 cm or it is growing into the main airway of the lung (bronchus). It may also have spread to the covering of the lung (pleura) or made the lung partially collapse.
2	Stage 2A: The tumour is less than 3 cm but has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage 2B: The tumour is larger than 3 cm and has spread to nearby lymph nodes. OR The tumour has grown into the chest wall, the pleura, the muscle layer below the lungs or the covering of the heart. OR The tumour has made the lung collapse.
3	Stage 3A: The tumour can be any size. Cancer cells have spread into the lymph nodes in the middle of the chest (mediastinum) but not to the other side of the chest. OR The cancer has spread to the tissue around the lung near where the cancer started, such as into the chest wall, the pleura, the middle of the chest or nearby lymph nodes. Stage 3B : There are 2 or more tumours in the same lung. OR Cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes on the other side of the chest or to nodes above either collarbone. OR The cancer has spread into another major structure, such as the esophagus, the heart, the trachea or a main blood vessel. OR Cancer cells are found in the pleural fluid (called pleural effusion). ·
4	Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver, brain or bones.

Staging for small cell lung cancer

Because small cell lung cancer tends to grow and spread early on, there are only two stages.

Stage	Description
Limited stage	Cancer cells are found only in one lung and in nearby lymph nodes. They may also be found in the pleural fluid.
Extensive stage	The cancer has spread outside the lung to the chest area or to other parts of the body.

It is important to know the stage of the cancer. This information helps you and your healthcare team choose the best treatment for you.

More information on staging for lung cancer in the Canadian Cancer Encyclopedia

Last modified on: 30 August 2010