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Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has
spread. This is very important because the type of treatment and the
outlook for your recovery depend on the stage of the cancer.
The staging system most often used for these cancers is the TNM staging system,
also known as the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system.
This system gives 3 key pieces of information:
- T
stands for tumor (its size and how far it has spread within the larynx
or hypopharynx and to nearby tissues).
- N
describes whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes.
- M stands
for spread (metastasis) to distant organs.
All of this information is combined to learn the stage of the
cancer. After stage 0 (which is carcinoma
in situ or cancer that has not grown beyond the lining
layer of cells), stages are labeled using Roman numerals from I through
IV (1 - 4). The smaller the number, the less the cancer has spread. A
higher number, for example stage IV, means a more advanced disease.
Ask your doctor to explain the stage of your cancer in a way
you can understand. This will help you take a more active role in
making choices about your treatment.
Last Medical Review: 05/27/2009
Last Revised: 05/27/2009
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