Stages of neuroendocrine 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 neuroendocrine cancer is the TNM system. Staging neuroendocrine cancer depends on where the cancer started (primary site). For most neuroendocrine cancers 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, doctors may use the words local, regional or distant.
Local means that the cancer is only in the organ where the tumour started 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 organ.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions. Find out more about staging cancer.
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)
Some types of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) have their own staging systems. Other types are staged using the system that is also used for other cancers that start in the same part of the body.
Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours (GI NETs) are staged differently than most other types of GI cancer. GI NETs of the stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum and appendix have their own unique staging. Find out more about stages of GI NETs.
Lung neuroendocrine tumours (lung NETs) are staged using the same system that is used for non–small cell lung cancer. Find out more about stages of non–small cell lung cancer.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs) are staged differently than most other pancreatic cancers. Find out more about stages of pNETs.
There are other types of NETs. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the stages for specific types of NETs.
Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs)
Most neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) are staged using the same system as other cancers that start in the same part of the body. Some less common types of NECs have their own staging system.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (pNEC) is staged using the same system as other pancreatic cancers. Find out more about stages of pancreatic cancer.
Small cell lung carcinoma (small cell lung cancer) has its own staging system. It can also be staged using the same system as other lung cancers but this is less common. Find out more about staging small cell lung cancer.
Medullary thyroid carcinoma is staged using the staging system for thyroid cancer. It has its own stage grouping in the system. Find out more about stages of thyroid cancer.
Merkel cell carcinoma is staged differently than other skin cancers and has its own staging system.
There are other types of NECs. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the stages for specific types of NECs.
Stages of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours (GI NETs)
Stages of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNETs)
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