Staging

The concept of stage is applicable to almost all cancers except for most forms of leukemia. Since leukemias involve all of the blood, they are not anatomically localized like other cancers, so the concept of staging doesn't make as much sense for them. A few forms of leukemia do have staging systems which reflect various measures of how advanced the disease is. For most solid tumors, there are two related cancer staging systems, the Overall Stage Grouping, and the TNM system.

Staging¹¹

• Staging of primary melanoma is based on the histological features of the lesion. Accurate staging is vital to determine appropriate treatment, follow-up, and calculation of risk of recurrence.
• In 2001 the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for cutaneous melanoma was published.¹²
• The current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging is based on measurement of the invasive component of the tumour (the Breslow thickness) and the presence or absence of microscopic ulceration.
• The staging system is in the process of being revised and an update is expected in 2009.

American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for cutaneous melanoma Stage Tumour Nodes Metastases O Carcinoma-in-situ None none IA Less than 1mm thick, no ulceration None none IB Less than 1mm thick, with ulceration None none IB 1 to 2mm thick, no ulceration None none IIA 1 to 2mm thick, with ulceration None none IIA 2-4mm thick, no ulceration None none IIB 2-4mm thick, with ulceration None none IIB Over 4mm thick, no ulceration None none IIC Over 4mm thick, with ulceration None none IIIA Any thickness, no ulceration Micrometastases none IIIB Any thickness, with ulceration Micrometastases none IIIB Any thickness, no ulceration up to 3 palpable nodes none IIIB Any thickness, ± ulceration no nodes but in-transit metastases or satellites none IIIC Any thickness, no ulceration up to 3 palpable nodes none IIIC Any thickness, ± ulceration 4 or more palpable nodes, matted nodes or in-transit metastases with nodes none IVM:1 Any variation any variation Skin, subcutaneous or distant lymph nodes IVM:2 Any variation any variation Pulmonary metastases IVM:3 Any variation any variation All other sites or raised LDH

For Survival Rates according to stages please feel free to look up the following sites.

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3015

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=5436

http://www.cancerguide.org/basic.html

http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/reprint/19/16/3635.pdf

I'd reccomend going through the fourth link for information on the staging system as well as the survival rates. the other three links give you the information in an easy to understand way. the first gives the information on the different staging while the second gives the survival rates, the third gives an account of the staging system.