What does stage 4 mean in a cancer patient?

Question

how many stages are ther in cancer

Answer 1

If a cancer is discovered early, it may be treatable by surgery, radiation or chemo therapy. If parts of the cancer break away and travel through the body to other organs, it becomes more difficult to treat.

When a cancer reaches stage 4, normally only paliative treatments are available - these are things like pain control that make the patient more comfortable. It is no longer possible to remove or cure the cancer, or put it into remission (a state when the cancer is no longer growing).

I'm sorry if you, a relative or a friend have stage four cancer. The best you can hope for is for that person to remain pain-free. Modern pain therapy is very good; if the patient is in pain, they should insist on seeing a pain therapist to assist them.

Answer 2

There four to five major stages, and possible substages, depending on the type of cancer.
Stage 1 cancer is localized and has a small tumor size
Stage 2 - cancer tumor is large and has spread to one or more local lymph nodes, but no organs
Stage 3 - cancer has metastasized to multilple lymph nodes and local organs
Stage 4 - cancer is wide spread, affecting multiple organ systems. Tumor burden or size is extensive. Multiple lymph nodes also affected.
Stage 5- cancer is extensively throughout the body.

There are also ABC subtypes in staging. Blood cancers are staged in a different manner than solid tumors.
Breast cancer uses the TNM method of staging (tumor, nodes, metastases)

Answer 3

There are 4 stages. In the last stage, the cancer has spread to another part of the body, usually a vital organ(s).

Answer 4

Stage 4 means that the cancer has moved to other organs, and it isn't always fatal.

Answer 5

Stage I

The cancer is less than 2 centimeters in size (about 1 inch), and has not spread to lymph nodes in the area (lymph nodes are small almond shaped structures that are found throughout the body which produce and store infection-fighting cells).

Stage II

The cancer is more than 2 centimeters in size, but less than 4 centimeters (less than 2 inches), and has not spread to lymph nodes in the area.

Stage III

Either of the following may be true: The cancer is more than 4 centimeters in size. The cancer is any size but has spread to only one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the cancer. The lymph node that contains cancer measures no more than 3 centimeters (just over one inch).

Stage IV

Any of the following may be true: The cancer has spread to tissues around the lip and oral cavity. The lymph nodes in the area may or may not contain cancer. The cancer is any size and has spread to more than one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the cancer, to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck, or to any lymph node that measures more than 6 centimeters (over 2 inches). The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Recurrent

Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may come back in the lip and oral cavity or in another part of the body.


This applies merely to one specific cancer. Other cancers are staged with their own characteristics.

Answer 6

as far as i know...there are 5 stages of cancer...1 being loest and 5 highest...if u need someone to talk about it...email me k....i want to be a ocology(cancer) doctor when i graduate so i may have answers for u!
bye
[e-mail]

Answer 7

go to this link..u will understand cancer staging in depth..hope it answers your questions

Answer 8

4 is usually the last stage...terminal.

Answer 9

it mean he is dead