cancer
Diagnosis of Cancer
Staging Cancer
After cancer is diagnosed, staging tests help determine how extensive the cancer is in terms of its location, size, growth into nearby structures, and spread to other parts of the body. People with cancer sometimes become impatient and anxious during staging tests, wishing for a prompt start of treatment. However, staging allows doctors to determine the most appropriate treatment as well as help to determine prognosis. Staging may use scans or other imaging tests, such as X-Rays , Biopsies are often needed to confirm the presence of tumor for staging purposes and can sometimes be done together with the initial Surgery for Cancer . For example, during a laparotomy (an abdominal operation) to remove colon cancer, a surgeon removes nearby lymph nodes to check for spread of the cancer. During surgery for breast cancer, the surgeon biopsies or removes a lymph node located in the armpit (the first lymph nodes to which cancer is likely to spread, also called a sentinel lymph node) to determine whether the breast cancer has spread there. Evidence of spread, along with features of the primary tumor, helps the doctor determine whether further treatment is needed. When staging is based only on initial biopsy results, physical examination, and imaging, the stage is referred to as clinical. When the doctor uses results of a surgical procedure or additional biopsies, the stage is referred to as pathologic or surgical. The clinical and pathologic (surgical) stages may differ. In addition to imaging tests, doctors often obtain blood tests to see if the cancer has begun to affect the liver, bones, or kidneys. 