Lung cancer types, progression, symptoms and treatment optionsdocx

LUNG CANCER PROGRESSION AND STAGING: The staging of lung cancer refers to the extent of the disease. In case of the NSCLC, it is staged according to the size of the tumour and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or other organs of the body.

In the Occult or Hidden Stage, cancer cells are found in the coughed up mucus or in other lung fluids, but no tumour can be seen in the lungs.

Stage 0 is not considered invasive because the cancer cells are found in the innermost lining of the air passages, but have not grown through it.

Stag 1A is considered invasive cancer because the tumour has grown through the inner lining of the airways into the deep lung tissue. The size of the tumour doesn’t exceed 3cm, and has not spread to the bronchi, lymph nodes or distant sites.

In Stage 1B, the diameter of the tumour exceeds 3 cm, or has spread to the main bronchus, or has grown through the lung into the inner layer of the pleura.

In Stage 2A, the tumour is no more than 3 across, but it has spread to the nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumour.

In Stage 2B, there are two scenarios that can occur. One, where the cancer cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes, but have spread to other parts of the body like the chest wall, diaphragm etc. In the second scenario, the cancer has spread to the nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumour. Also the size of the tumour exceeds 3cm.

In Stage 3A, the tumour may be of any size and the cancer has spread to more lymph nodes on the same side of the chest and to other nearby structures, but not the trachea.

In Stage 3B, the tumour may be of any size, and has spread to the lymph nodes on the other side of the chest or above the collar bone, and may have spread to nearby structures like the heart, major heart vessels, diaphragm, chest wall, trachea, oesophagus, breastbone, or to more than one place in the same lung.