Prostate Cancer Staging: What You Need to Know
Understanding the TNM Staging System
Prostate cancer staging is a process used to determine the extent of the cancer within the prostate gland and surrounding tissues. The most commonly used staging system is the TNM system, which stands for Tumor, Node, and Metastasis.
Tumor Stage (T)
The tumor stage indicates the size and extent of the prostate cancer within the gland. The T stages range from T1 to T4: *
T1: The cancer is confined to the prostate gland and is not visible on imaging tests. *
T2: The cancer is confined to the prostate gland but is visible on imaging tests. *
T3: The cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland but has not invaded the seminal vesicles or other nearby structures. *
T4: The cancer has invaded the seminal vesicles or other nearby structures.
Node Stage (N)
The node stage indicates whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The N stages range from N0 to N3: *
N0: No lymph nodes contain cancer. *
N1: Cancer is found in one to three lymph nodes in the pelvis. *
N2: Cancer is found in four or more lymph nodes in the pelvis. *
N3: Cancer is found in lymph nodes outside the pelvis.
Metastasis Stage (M)
The metastasis stage indicates whether the cancer has spread to distant organs. The M stages range from M0 to M1: *
M0: The cancer has not spread to distant organs. *
M1: The cancer has spread to distant organs, such as the bones, lungs, or liver.
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