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Stages of Mesothelioma

If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, your doctor will need to know the stage of your disease. Staging defines how far the cancer has spread from its original location to other parts of the body.

Staging can be clinical or pathological. Clinical staging relies on scanning tests and x-rays. Pathological staging refers to staging done at surgery.

Malignant mesothelioma moves through four stages, each one more serious than the next. The cancer is described as localized if it is found only on the lining surface where it originated. If the cancer has spread beyond the original site to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, chest wall, or abdominal organs, it is considered as advanced.

The stage of the cancer will determine treatment options and helps determine the prognosis of the disease. Pleural mesothelioma is the only mesothelioma that has a staging system. But the clinical staging systems are considered inadequate due to the way the disease spreads.

The staging systems used include:

• The Brigham System, the latest system, which stages mesothelioma according to the ability to surgically remove it and lymph node involvement.
• The Butchart Staging System, based upon how far the disease has spread to and invaded other organs.
• The TNM system, which considers variables of tumor mass and spread, involvement of lymph nodes, and metastasis.