Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. This is very important because the type of treatment used and the outlook for recovery depend on the stage of the cancer. The system used to stage adrenal cancer is the AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) system. Stages are described using Roman numerals from 0 to IV (0 to 4). Some stages are further divided into A and B. As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage IV (4), means a more advanced cancer.

Ask your doctor about the stage of your cancer and what that might mean for treatment.

Last Medical Review: 11/04/2009
Last Revised: 11/04/2009