University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center Physicians Ensure Accurate Colorectal Cancer Staging
To help determine the most effective treatment, UH Seidman Cancer Center physicians must determine the stage of the colorectal cancer, which reveals how far the disease has progressed. Our doctors carefully select the appropriate tests and exams to determine if colorectal cancer has spread to other areas of the patient’s body.
Colorectal cancer is classified by the following stages:
- Stage I: The tumor has grown into the inner wall of the colon or rectum. However, the tumor has not grown through the wall.
- Stage II: The tumor extends more deeply into or through the wall of the colon or rectum. Although the tumor may have invaded nearby tissue, the cancer cells have not spread to the lymph nodes.
- Stage III: The cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but not to other parts of the body.
- Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body like the liver or lungs.
- Recurrence: This stage describes cancer that has been treated and has returned after a period of time when the cancer could not be detected. The disease may return in the colon or rectum, or in another part of the body.
If cancer of the colon or rectum is diagnosed, UH doctors will promptly plan a course of treatment based on the following factors:
- The stage of the cancer
- Where the lesion is located
- The patient’s age, general health and medical history