When a patient is diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, the next step is to examine the various options for treatment. Oncologists and healthcare professionals prescribe a series of tests to evaluate the tumor size and the cells multiplication. Other factors like general health, lung function, and the individual characteristics of the cancer are taken into account. This helps to determine the nature and extent of treatment while providing a reliable estimate for recovery.

1. What is staging?

One of the most important systems used by oncologists evaluating cancer is known as TNM staging. This refers to the size and spread of cancer.

• T: tumor size
• N: lymph nodes and how far away from the main site they are
• M: metastasis or spread to other body parts

Each of these letters is accompanied by a number ranging between 0-4 and a combination of letters. These notations help the doctor to provide more information to patients so that they can participate actively in their non-small cell lung cancer treatment programs, get second opinions.

There are four main stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the amount of time cancer has been in the body, the progression of the cancerous cells and its special traits.

2. Stage 0

It is known as “occult stage” or “carcinoma in situ” and is considered to be the earliest stage at which NSCLC can be diagnosed. However, it is rarely diagnosed at this stage because there are almost no symptoms and diagnosis may happen accidentally while treating another condition. Here the cancer is present only in the airways of the lungs but not spread outside. Treatment recommendation, surgery followed by PDT and Brachytherapy.

3. Stage 1a/b

It is evaluated based on the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to other tissues, main bronchus, and nearby lymph nodes. Non-small lung cancer treatment recommendations are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and radiofrequency ablation.

4. Stage 2 a/b

The cancerous cells multiply and affect the lymph nodes. The tumor grows larger. Treatment recommendations are chemotherapy, surgery, radiation (if you’re not able to withstand surgery).

5. Stage 3 a/b/c

This stage is when cancer affects the lungs, lymph nodes and the chest. The a, b, c stages represent which side of the lymph nodes it has spread to – the same side of the chest, opposite lung, neck. Treatment recommendations are chemotherapy with radiation (based on general health) clinical trials.

6. Stage 4

In this stage, cancer has spread to both lungs, surrounding areas and/or distant organs. Treatment recommendations are stent implant to help breathing, chemotherapy and radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and Photodynamic therapy (PDT).

7. Why is staging important?

Staging is a rating developed and maintained by the American Joint Committee on Cancer and the Union for International Cancer Control. This is a ready reckoning system that is used at least twice – first during the clinical stage which means before non-small lung cancer treatments begin and then again during the pathologic stage which is after the treatment (usually surgery). The pathologic stage provides more accurate information about the cancer.

Staging helps doctors to:

• Decide if you need more tests
• Assess prognosis
• Plan treatments
• Contribute to research