Lung Cancer Staging

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Non-small cell lung cancer generally develops over a long period of time. Stages of the disease are as follows:

Occult stage – This is the primary stage in which no tumor is visible though cancerous cells are identified within the lung.
Stage 0 (also known as carcinoma in situ) – Cancerous cells reside in the inner lining of the lung.
Stage 1A – Cancer penetrates the inner tissue and resides in other tissue layers within the lung. The tumor is not larger than 1.25 inches wide.
Stage 1B – The tumor is more than 1.25 inches wide, or reaches the bronchus, or the cancer has reached the pleura.
Stage IIA– Cancer penetrates nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IIB – instead of residing in the lymph nodes, the tumor penetrates the main bronchus, diaphragm, pleura, or chest wall. In some instances, the tumor may reside in the tissue surrounding the heart.
Stage IIIA – The tumor is likely larger than 1.25 inches wide. Cancer resides in the bronchi and nearby lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the tumor.
Stage IIIB – The tumor is likely larger than 1.25 inches wide. Cancer spreads to the other side of the chest or the neck. Cancer may afflict the nearby organs. There may be multiple malignant growths.
Stage IV – Cancerous growths exist in more than one lobe of the lung or lungs. Cancer may afflict other parts of the body. At this stage, the bones and brain are especially susceptible to cancerous metastases.

Unlike non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer is described in one of two ways: limited or extensive.

In the limited stage, cancer resides in one lung or in the nearby tissue.
In the extensive stage, cancer resides in tissue outside of the lung or in other organs.