Stages of adrenal gland cancer
Staging describes or classifies a cancer based on how much cancer there is in the body and where it is when first diagnosed. This is often called the extent of cancer. The healthcare team uses information from tests to find out the size of the tumour, which parts of the organ have cancer, whether the cancer has spread from where it first started and where the cancer has spread. Doctors use the stage to plan treatment and estimate the outcome (prognosis).
The most common staging system for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and pheochromocytoma is the TNM system. For ACC and pheochromocytoma there are 4 stages. Often the stages 1 to 4 are written as the Roman numerals I, II, III and IV. Generally, the higher the stage number, the larger the cancer is or the more the cancer has spread.
When describing the stage for pheochromocytoma, doctors may use the words local, regional or distant.
Local means that the cancer is only in the adrenal gland and has not spread to other parts of the body.
Regional means that the cancer has spread to nearby structures and lymph nodes.
Distant means that the cancer is in a part of the body farther from the adrenal gland.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions. Find out more about staging cancer.
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)
Doctors use the following TNM stages for ACC.
Stage 1
The tumour is 5 cm or smaller. It hasn't grown outside the adrenal gland. It hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.
Stage 2
The tumour is larger than 5 cm, but it hasn't grown outside the adrenal gland. It hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.
Stage 3
The tumour is stage 3 when any one of the following is true:
- It is 5 cm or smaller and has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not to other parts of the body.
- It is larger than 5 cm and has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not to other parts of the body.
- It is any size and has grown outside the adrenal gland, but not to nearby organs. It may have spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
-
It is any size and has spread to nearby organs (such as the kidneys,
diaphragm , pancreas or spleen) or large blood vessels. It may have spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
Stage 4
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body (called distant
metastasis), such as to the liver, lungs, bones or
Recurrent ACC
Recurrent ACC means that the cancer has come back after it has been treated.
Local recurrence means that the cancer has come back in the same place as or close to where it first started.
Regional recurrence means that the cancer has come back in tissues or lymph nodes close to where it first started.
Distant recurrence or distant metastasis means that the cancer has come back in a different part of the body from where it started.
Pheochromocytoma
Doctors use the following TNM stages for pheochromocytoma.
Stage 1
The tumour is smaller than 5 cm. It hasn't grown outside the adrenal gland. It hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.
Stage 2
The tumour is 5 cm or larger. It hasn't grown outside the adrenal gland. It hasn't spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.
Stage 3
The tumour is stage 3 when any one of the following is true:
- It is smaller than 5 cm and has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not to nearby organs.
- It is 5 cm or larger, has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not to nearby organs.
- It is any size, has spread to nearby organs (such as the liver, pancreas, spleen or kidneys) and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage 4
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body (called distant metastasis), such as to the bones, liver and lungs. Stage 4 is also called metastatic cancer.
Recurrent pheochromocytoma
Recurrent pheochromocytoma means that the cancer has come back after it has been treated.
Local recurrence means that the cancer has come back in the same place as or close to where it first started.
Regional recurrence means that the cancer has come back in tissues or lymph nodes close to where it first started.
Distant recurrence or distant metastasis means that the cancer has come back in a different part of the body from where it started.