Question: What are the stages of Pancreatic Cancer ?
Answer: Key Points - Tests and procedures to stage pancreatic cancer are usually done at the same time as diagnosis. - There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. - Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. - The following stages are used for pancreatic cancer: - Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ) - Stage I - Stage II - Stage III - Stage IV Tests and procedures to stage pancreatic cancer are usually done at the same time as diagnosis. The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the pancreas or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage of the disease in order to plan treatment. The results of some of the tests used to diagnose pancreatic cancer are often also used to stage the disease. See the General Information section for more information. There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood: - Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas. - Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body. - Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body. Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body. When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood. - Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body. - Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if pancreatic cancer spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually pancreatic cancer cells. The disease is metastatic pancreatic cancer, not liver cancer. The following stages are used for pancreatic cancer: Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ) In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the lining of the pancreas. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ. Stage I In stage I, cancer has formed and is found in the pancreas only. Stage I is divided into stage IA and stage IB, based on the size of the tumor. - Stage IA: The tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller. - Stage IB: The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters. Stage II In stage II, cancer may have spread to nearby tissue and organs, and may have spread to lymph nodes near the pancreas. Stage II is divided into stage IIA and stage IIB, based on where the cancer has spread. - Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to nearby tissue and organs but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. - Stage IIB: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and may have spread to nearby tissue and organs. Stage III In stage III, cancer has spread to the major blood vessels near the pancreas and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage IV In stage IV, cancer may be of any size and has spread to distant organs, such as the liver, lung, and peritoneal cavity. It may have also spread to organs and tissues near the pancreas or to lymph nodes.