Staging & Grading

Question 1

Purposes:

Answer 1

Attempts to quantify the probable aggressiveness of a neoplasm and to define/describe its: apparent extent & spread

• To provide info necessary to make decisions regarding treatment options
• To provede consistent info necessary for research

Question 2

Staging:

Answer 2

Classifies the tumor based on 3 factors & is adjustable as the disease progresses; it is of greater clinical value than grading:
-TNM: stages

Question 3

TNM stages

Answer 3

I-IV, incorporating size, nodal spread, & distant metastases; criteria for stages differ from different types of cancer:

• Tumor size
• Nodal involvement
• Metastatic involvement

Question 4

Tumor size:

Answer 4

• TX: primary tumor; cannot be evaluated
• T0: no evidence of primary tumor
• Tis: carcinoma in situ ( early cancer that has not spread to neighboring tissue)
• T1, T2, T3, T4,: size and or extent of the primary tumor

Question 5

Nodal involvement

Answer 5

• NX: regional lymph nodes cannot be evaluated
• N0: no regional lymph node involvement
• N1, N2, N3: involvement of regional lymph nodes ( number and or extent of spread)

Question 6

Metastatic involvement:

Answer 6

• MX: distant metastasis cannot be evaluated
• M0: no distant metastasis
• M1: distant metastasis spreading

Question 7

Not applicable to cancers of ______, _____ ______, blood, or ______ marrow and a few others; different methods are used.

Answer 7

brain
spinal cord
bone

Question 8

Grading:

Answer 8

Considers the resemblance of tumor tissue to normal cells, (differentiation) estimated growth rate, names lesion according to corresponding normal cells (lymphoid, mutinous, etc…); the higher the grade the higher the rate of growth and spread

Question 9

Grades given:

Answer 9

• GX: grade cannot be assesses (undetermined grade)
• G1: well-differentiated (low grade)
• G2: Moderately differentiated (intermediate grade)
• G3: poorly differentiated (high grade)
• G4: undifferentiated (undifferentiated (high grade)

Question 10

Criteria for grades:

Answer 10

Vary with each type of neoplasm