Staging
The word "staging" is a term that refers to the system in place that allows doctors to determine the current state of a patient's cancer or how far that cancer has spread. Most cancers are divided into 4 stages, including mesothelioma.
Doctors can determine the treatment and prognosis of a patient's mesothelioma by means of the staging system (in addition to other factors, such as the overall health of the patient). For example, a person with Stage II malignant mesothelioma will probably be asked to undergo different treatments than the person with Stage IV or “end stage” cancer, and will probably be given a more positive prognosis and longer life expectancy.
The Staging System for Mesothelioma
The system chosen for staging mesothelioma is a TNM system, very similar to those systems in place for the staging of other cancers. The T stands for tumor, the N for lymph nodes, and the M for metastasis (how far a cancer has spread).
The oncologist will gather information about all of the parts above - the tumor, the lymph nodes, and any metastases involved - and will compile that information and assign the cancer a number from I to IV; Stage I is the least severe case of mesothelioma - involving no spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and Stage IV is concerned the most advanced stage of the disease, possibly involving the spread of the disease into the chest wall, diaphragm, spine, esophagus, trachea, and other organs, and/or into the lining of the heart or the heart itself.
Mesothelioma, unfortunately, is rarely diagnosed in Stage I because it lies latent in the body for many, many years. By the time symptoms surface, the disease has usually reached at least Stage II but often beyond. New diagnostic tools are continually being developed in hopes of being able to diagnosis the disease in earlier stages, when treatment is easier and a potential cure may occur.
