Stage
Select the cancer's stage at diagnosis.
Multiple values may be selected when creating a table (you may need to
hold down the Shift or Ctrl key). However, this
menu may be limited to a single selection when creating a chart or
map.
Staging is the classification system that groups cancer cases into broad
categories according to how far the disease has spread from the site of
origin at the time of diagnosis. Most cancers are staged with the
SEER Summary Staging definitions (in situ, local, regional and
distant). However lymphomas (including both
Hodgkin's
and
Non-Hodgkin's)
are staged according to the Ann Arbor definitions (stage I, stage II and
stage III/IV).
Depending on the primary site selected, the output will display the
appropriate staging (SEER Summary or Ann Arbor).
Cancers are classified as in situ or malignant according to their behavior
codes assigned with the International Classification of Diseases for
Oncology (ICD-O), either the second or third revision (ICD-O-2 or ICD-O-3,
respectively).
All statistics in this dataset only include cancer types which were coded as
in situ for both revisions or as malignant for both revisions.
This was done to prevent changes in the coding guidelines from affecting
trend analysis.
The [behavior recode](https://seer.cancer.gov/behavrecode/) provided by the
Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program was used to determine
which cancers to include.
- Invasive
- A total of all cancers staged as local, regional, distant or unstaged at
diagnosis. Also include urinary bladder cancer in situ.
Note:
Not available if Percent Staging
Distribution is selected from the
Rate/Ratio menu).
- In situ
- The cancer has not penetrated or spread beyond the basement membrane
of the epithelial tissue involved.
Note:
Not available for cervix uteri cancer or lymphomas.
- Local
- The cancer is confined entirely to the organ of origin.
- Regional
- The cancer extends beyond the original organ to nearby lymph nodes,
organs or tissues.
- Distant
- The cancer extends to distant organs or distant lymph nodes.
- Stage I
- The lymphoma is located in a single lymph node region;
or the lymphoma is only located in a single extralymphatic organ
(an organ which is not part of the lymphatic system);
or the lymphoma is only located in the spleen.
- Stage II
- The lymphoma is located in multiple lymph node regions on the same side
of the diaphragm, possibly involving a single extralymphatic organ;
or the lymphoma is located in the spleen and either lymph nodes below the
diaphragm or a single extralymphatic organ below the diaphragm.
- Stage III/IV
- The lymphoma is located in lymph nodes on both sides of the diaphragm;
or the lymphoma is located in the spleen and either lymph nodes above the
diaphragm or a single extralymphatic organ above the diaphragm;
or the lymphoma is located in multiple extralymphatic organs.
- Early
- The combination of
In situ,
Local,
Stage I, and
Stage II.
- Late
- The combination of
Regional,
Distant,
and Stage III/IV.
- Unknown
- Insufficient or no information available to determine stage.
Note: Because the selection
All Cancers includes lymphomas and other
cancers, the only possible stages for these records are
Invasive,
Early,
Late, and
Unknown.