Tumor grade and stage are terms used to describe the severity of a tumor. While tumor grade describes the appearance of cancerous cells in the tissue by examining them under a microscope, tumor stage encompasses:
- The location of the tumor.
- The size and/or extent of the original tumor.
- Whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes or anywhere else in the body.
- The number of tumors present.
Doctors use tumor grade, cancer stage, and a patient’s age and general health to decide the course of treatment for the patient and determine prognosis. Prognosis describes all factors including the disease course, cure rate, chances of survival, and risk of recurrence of cancer.
What are the cancer stages?
Different systems of cancer staging are used to describe the types of cancer. Below is a common method in which stages are ranged from 0 to IV.
- Stage 0: The tumor is confined to its place of origin (in situ) and has not spread to nearby tissue.
- Stage I: The tumor is located only in the original organ, is small, and has not spread.
- Stage II: The size of the tumor is large but has not spread.
- Stage III: The tumor has become larger and may have spread to surrounding tissues and/or lymph nodes.
- Stage IV: The tumor has spread to other distant organs of the body, which is known as the metastasis stage.
TNM staging
Another common staging method used for cancer is the TNM system, which stands for tumor, node (which means spread of the tumor to lymph nodes), and metastasis. When a patient’s cancer is staged using the TNM system, a number will be present along with the letter. This number signifies the extent of the disease in each category—tumor, node, and metastases.
Another system of cancer staging divides cancer into five stages, which include:
- In situ: Abnormal cells are present but have not spread to nearby tissue.
- Localized: Cancer is located only in the original organ and shows no sign of its spread.
- Regional: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues, or organs.
- Distant: Cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
- Unknown: The stage cannot be figured out due to a lack of enough information.
What are the cancer grades?
Cancer grades are based on examination of the suspected tissue sample under a microscope. This involves surgically removing a piece of the suspected cancerous tissue and sending it to the lab for analysis. The entire procedure is known as a biopsy.
A doctor who specializes in diagnostic tests (pathologist) examines the cells of the tissue and determines whether they are harmless (benign or noncancerous) or harmful (malignant or cancerous). They describe the microscopic appearance of the cells and assign a numerical “grade” to most cancers.
Generally, a lower grade indicates slow-growing cancer and a higher grade indicates fast-growing cancer. The most commonly used grading system is as follows:
- Grade I: Cancer cells that look like normal cells but are not growing rapidly.
- Grade II: Cancer cells that don't look like normal cells with their growth being faster than normal cells.
- Grade III: Cancer cells that look abnormal and have the potential to grow rapidly or spread more aggressively.
Sometimes, the following system can be used:
- GX: Grade cannot be assessed (undetermined grade)
- G1: Well differentiated (low grade)
- G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
- G3: Poorly differentiated (high grade)
- G4: Undifferentiated (high grade)
SLIDESHOW
Skin Cancer Symptoms, Types, Images See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors
Cancer Staging. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/staging
Top Difference Between Tumor Grade and Stage Related Articles
Bladder Cancer
Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of the disease, the grade of the tumor, and the type of bladder cancer. Options for treatment include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapy.
Young Women & Breast Cancer
Is breast cancer genetic? Should I get tested for the BRCA gene? What every young women should know about breast cancer. Discover the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and other crucial breast cancer facts.
Breast Cancer Stages
Breast cancer staging is the determination of the extent and spread of cancer. An individual's health care team uses stages to summarize the extent of cancer in a standardized way that is recognized by all health care providers. They use this staging to determine the treatment most appropriate for the type of cancer. Cancer staging helps to determine the prognosis, or outlook, of cancer, including rates of recurrence and survival rates.
Cancer
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Cancer Risk Factors and Causes
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Cancer Quiz
Take this quiz to learn the causes of cancer. Get the facts about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for the world's most common cancers.
Cancer: Does This Cause Cancer?
Everything gives you cancer, right? Not really. WebMD's slide show tells you about the research into cancer and cell phones, X-rays, plastic bottles, coffee, and more.
Is Tumor a Cancer?
A tumor is a mass or lump of tissue in an organ. In a healthy body, cells grow, divide, and are replaced by new cells. In the case of a tumor, the rate of cell multiplication is more than cell destruction. The word tumor is often associated with cancer; however, not all tumors are cancerous.
Cancer: Symptoms of Common Cancers in Men
Can men get breast cancer? Cancer symptoms men need to watch out for include skin changes, difficulty swallowing, rapid weight loss, a breast mass, and more. Learn possible clues to finding and detecting cancer early.
Pancreatic Cancer Tumor Picture
This is a gross section of a malignant tumor of the pancreas resected from the pancreatic body and tail. See a picture of Pancreatic Cancer Tumor and learn more about the health topic.
What Causes a GIST Tumor?
A few gastrointestinal stromal tumors or GISTs are inherited as a result of chromosomal mutations. These often run in the family. The researchers have found no apparent cause for most GISTs (soft tissue cancer in the digestive system).
What Exactly Is a Tumor?
A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells, which serves no purpose in the body. There are three types of tumors, but it is not always clear how a tumor will develop in the future. Some non-cancerous tumors can become cancerous. Early detection of a lump or tumor is important to determine what will be the treatment.
What Is A GIST Tumor?
A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare type of tumor that develops in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GISTs develop in a specialized type of cell in the GI tract, known as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), or their precursor stem cells which differentiate to become ICCs.
What Is a Grade 4 Tumor?
In grade 4 cancer, tumor cells look very different from the normal cells, and most likely, they have spread to distant organs. Such tumors have a poorer outlook and may need more aggressive management. Usually, tumors in grade 4 are undifferentiated and very aggressive.
What Is Embolization of a Tumor?
A tumor requires a continuous blood supply to grow and survive. Embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that aims to block the blood supply to a tumor to reduce its size or cause complete cell death. This technique utilizes liquid, particles, or microspheres to obstruct blood vessels.
Signs of Cancer in Women: Symptoms You Can't Ignore
Colon and stomach cancer symptoms can surprise women but can be treated if detected early. Learn about breast cancer signs and symptoms, mammograms, tests for gynecological cancers, and other cancers, including skin cancer, lung cancer, throat cancer, and bladder cancer.