The Lung Cancer Stages And Its Types

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A disease that is formed due to the abnormality of cells getting division in lungs is known as lung cancer. Generally, the cells divide and go through normal function. If there are any mutations, it will cause damage to the cells and create mass of cells leading to cancer. The cancers are defined by the place where it occurs. This cancer is mostly observed in both genders. The symptoms are not found at the early stage of cancer. The signs that are observed can be treated as seasonal disease and can be neglected.

Small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer are the major types of cancers in lungs. Other types of cancers also occur around the lungs for instance, if it occurs to the lymph nodes, it is lymphomas. If it occurs in the lining of the lungs it is pleural mesothelioma, if it occurs in the bones or soft tissues it is sarcomas.

Staging is a process in which location and spread of cancer in the lung is determined. The treatment options are different for different stages of lung cancer. The most commonly used system of staging in lung cancer is the TNM system. According to the AJCC, American Joint Committee on cancer, there are three factors.

  • TUMOR – to know the size of the tumor, whether it is spread to the other parts.
  • LYMPH NODES– to evaluate the cancer spread to the lymph nodes or not.
  • METASTASIS – to know how far the cancer spreads to the other parts of the body. The stage range of TNM is between 0-IV.

Stage 0:

The cancer which is observed in the inner place, spreading of the tumor is not taking place. No trace of cancers are outside the lung.

Stage l:

The primary small tumors present in the lung. It will not spread to the other lymph nodes and is not metastasized. This is again divided into two types : stage IA and stage IB. This subtype mostly depends on the size of the tumor. The tumor with small size less than 3 centimeters falls under stage IA and tumor size more than 3 cm and less than 4 cm it falls under stage IB. This will not form in the inner lining or in the main walls of lungs.

Stage Il:

Same as the stage I, It occurs in the lungs but will not spread to the other parts of the lungs. Stage IIA and Stage IIB are the two subtypes of stage II, especially in stage IIA, size of the tumor will be more than 4 and not more than 5 cm. Here, the tumor might not spread to the lymph nodes that are present nearby. This will not form in the inner lining or in the main walls of lungs. Whereas in stage IIB, the size of the tumor will be more than 5 and not more than 7 cm. Spreading of the tumor does not occur up to the lymph nodes around the chest wall and heart lining.

Stage Ill:

In this stage of cancer it spreads in the chest and will not spread to the other parts of the body. It is also known as advanced locally. This is again divided into three they are : Stage IIIA, IIIB and IIIC. In stage lllA more than 7 cm of tumor is found and not spreading takes place to the lymph nodes. It may start in the diaphragm, near the heart, windpipe etc. there will be more tumors in the same lung but will be on different lobes. Stage IIIB has larger than 5 cm of tumor size and spreads to lymph nodes. It will grow on the outer layer of the lung. In Stage III C the tumor size will be larger than 5 cm and will have spread to the nodes of hilar or mediastinal around the lung. It is grown in the outer layer of the lung and also to the nearby parts.

Stage lV:

Same as the above stages in this stage it is spread to various parts of the body. It may vary in size and will or will not spread to the lymph nodes. This is also divided into two subtypes Stage IVA and IVB. In Stage IVA the size of the tumor may vary and will or will not spread to the other lymph nodes, will spread from one lung to the other lung, to its lining, heart lining, into the fluid around the heart and outside the chest area. Size of the tumors will be in different sizes and those may or may not spread to the lymph nodes in Stage IVB. There may be spreading of cancer to the other parts of the chest.

Small cell lung cancer is 15% of all lung cancers. Based on the TNM the cancer may be labeled as a limited and extensive stage. In the limited stage the small cell lung cancer is found in the chest’s one side, the tumor is not spread outside the lung or spread to lymph nodes. In the extensive stage, It is observed in many people, which means there will be the spread of cancer outside the lung and also to the other parts of the body including the fluids.

This differentiation in the types of lung cancer helps to treat it easily. This treatment is also depending on the: the cancer type and where it has started, the presence of cancer and the other health complications the patient is dealing with. There is always a difference in the treatment between the small cell and non small cell lung cancer. This treatment mainly depends on the cancer stage , and other factors that include function of the lung, patient’s health and any other complications related to cancer. We, at PUNARJAN AYURVEDA, tend to offer the best therapy for any stage of lung cancer using RASAYANA prototype and proper guidance to the patient thereby, It primarily boosts immunity during the cancer recovery.

References:

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/lung-cancer/stages-types-grades/stage-1.