Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging

Catching cancer early often allows for more treatment options. Some early cancers may have signs and symptoms that can be noticed, but that is not always the case.

After a cancer diagnosis, staging provides important information about the extent of cancer in the body and anticipated response to treatment.

Doctors often use survival rates as a standard way of discussing a person's outlook (prognosis). These numbers can’t tell you how long you will live, but they might help you better understand your prognosis. Some people want to know the survival statistics for people in similar situations, while others might not find the numbers helpful, or might even not want to know them.

Here are some questions you can ask your cancer care team to help you better understand your cancer diagnosis and treatment options.