Please help, tell me what stage my stomach cancer is?

staging
Hello. I am so sorry you have to be here. Cancer is such a horrible disease. My BIL has esoph. cancer. Orig. they thought he had stomach that had grown up into the esoph. I am going to try to copy and paste something I found on another web site. I believe that knowledge is power. If it were me, Like you, I'd want to know about staging. I hope this info helps you. Good luck and Bless you.
me » Your cancer type » Stomach cancer » Treating stomach cancer » The stages of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer


A quick guide to what's on this page
The stages of stomach cancer

The stage of a cancer tells the doctor how far it has spread. It is important because treatment is often decided according to the stage of a cancer. Doctors mainly use the TNM staging system and the number staging system.
The TNM stages of stomach cancer

The TNM system is the system most commonly used in cancer. ‘TNM’ stands for Tumour, Node, Metastasis. This system describes the extent of the primary tumour (T), the absence or presence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes (N), and the absence or presence of distant metastases (M).
Number stages of stomach cancer

There are 5 main stages in the number system – 0 to 4. The full length version of this page has details of the TNM and number stages of stomach cancer.



CR PDF Icon You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Treating stomach cancer section.
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What staging is

The stage of a cancer tells the doctor the size of the tumour and whether it has spread. The tests and scans you have when diagnosing your cancer give some information about the stage. It is important because treatment is often decided according to the stage of a cancer. But your doctor may not be able to tell you the exact stage of cancer in your stomach until you have surgery.

There are different ways of staging cancers. The two main ways are the TNM system and the number system. There is more general information about staging cancers in the CancerHelp UK section about cancer.
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TNM stages of stomach cancer

'TNM' stands for Tumour, Node, Metastasis. The system describes

* The size and spread of the stomach tumour (T)
* Whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes (N)
* Whether the cancer has spread to a different part of the body (M)

The size and spread of the stomach tumour (T)

T1 means the tumour has started to grow into the wall of the stomach. T1 is further divided into T1a and T1b. T1a has grown no further than the connective tissue beneath the submucosa lining the stomach. And T1b has grown no further than the inner layer of the stomach (submucosa).

T2 means the tumour has grown into the muscle layer of the stomach wall.

T3 means the tumour has grown into the membrane covering the outside of the stomach.

T4 means the tumour has grown outside of the stomach wall. It is further divided into T4a and T4b. T4a means the tumour has grown right through the stomach wall and broken through it. And T4b means it has grown through the stomach wall and into other organs or body structures nearby such as the liver, gullet, or abdominal wall.
Whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes (N)

* N0 means that there are no lymph nodes containing cancer cells
* N1 means that there are cancer cells in 1 to 2 lymph nodes near to the stomach
* N2 means there are cancer cells in 3 to 6 nearby lymph nodes
* N3a means there are cancer cells in 7 to 15 nearby lymph nodes
* N3b means there are cancer cells in 16 or more nearby lymph nodes

Whether the cancer has spread to a different part of the body (M)

There are 2 M stages for stomach cancer

* M0 means the cancer has not spread to other organs
* M1 means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body

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Number stages of stomach cancer

There are five main stages in this system - stages 0 to 4.

* Stage 0 or carcinoma in situ (CIS)
* Stage 1
* Stage 2
* Stage 3
* Stage 4

Stage 0 or carcinoma in situ (CIS)

If you are told you have CIS or stage 0 stomach cancer, you have a very early stage of stomach cancer. There are cancer cells in your stomach lining. But they are completely contained within the inner layer of the lining. So there is very little risk of any cancer cells having spread. It is not usual for stomach cancer to be diagnosed this early.
Stage 1

This is the earliest stage of cancer. It is divided into 1a and 1b.

Stage 1a means the cancer has grown no further than the lining of the stomach, with no cancer in the lymph nodes (T1, N0, M0).

Stage 1b means either that

* The cancer has still only just grown through the lining, but nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T1, N1, M0) OR
* There are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes, but the cancer has grown into the muscle of the stomach wall (T2, N0, M0)

Stage 2

Stage 2 is also divided into a and b

Stage 2a means that

* The cancer has only reached the lining of the stomach, but between 3 and 6 lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T1, N2, M0) OR
* The cancer has grown into the muscle layer of the stomach wall and is also in1 or 2 nearby lymph nodes (T2, N1, M0) OR
* The cancer has grown into the membrane covering the outside of the stomach but there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes (T3, N0, M0)

Stage 2b means that

* The cancer has only reached the lining of the stomach wall and 7 or more lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T1, N3, M0) OR
* The cancer has grown into the muscle layer of the stomach but between 3 and 6 lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T2, N2, M0) OR
* The cancer has grown into the membrane covering the outside of the stomach and is also in 1 or 2 nearby lymph nodes (T3, N1, M0) OR
* The cancer has grown outside of the stomach wall but there are no cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes (T4a, N0, M0)

Stage 3

Stage 3 is divided into a, b and c.

Stage 3a means that the cancer has grown

* Into the muscle layer of the stomach and 7 or more lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T2, N3, M0) OR
* Through the stomach wall, but between 3 and 6 nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T3, N2, M0) OR
* Through the stomach wall and 1 to 2 nearby lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T4a, N1, M0)

In stage 3b the cancer has grown

* Into the membrane surrounding the outside of the stomach wall and more than 7 lymph nodes contain cancer cells (T3, N3, M0) OR
* Right through the stomach wall and between 3 and 6 lymph nodes contain cancer (T4a, N2, M0) OR
* Right through the stomach wall and into nearby tissues and lymph nodes contain cancer (T4b, N0 to 1, M0)

In stage 3c the cancer has

* Grown right through the stomach wall and more than 7 lymph nodes contain cancer (T4a, N3, M0) OR
* Grown right through the stomach wall and into nearby tissues and organs and lymph nodes contain cancer (T4b, N1 to 2, M0)

Stage 4

Stage four stomach cancer means your cancer is advanced and has spread to other body organs through the lymphatic system (any T any N, M1)
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choiceboo said:

Thank you Livestrong_fighter, Cindy and Liveinhope.
Thank you for so much concern.

I don't lose my confidence. But I have so much worry. That is why I have lots of questions.

I know my stage is there and no body can change it. The only choice is facing it and conquer it.

But I am confused about my stage is: The Dr. did say there is no metastasis to other organs, for example liver, lung, brain and bones. So it should be stage 3. But my pathology
shows pT4a N2 M1, The M1 result in M1,right? I don't know what metastasis caused M1. The only other organ is my spleen. Is it the reason of M1?

Sorry, English isn't my first language. My expression is so bad.

Today is the 25 days of my surgery. After 3 days I had gas pass. After 8 days I had bowel movement. The same day I ate 6 ounce meat pie. After 9 days I discharged from hospital. At home, I eat so much every meal even reach one third of my regular meal before surgery.

After each meal, I have a badly cramping pain specially after dinner. But after 20 minutes I take the blue pain killer, it gets relief or I hold out another 30 nimutes with out pain killer.

No any other symptoms. Any way, eating every thing, drinking every thing. Also I work full time for 5 days already.

I don't know where my disease will go. I don't know it will come back or gone for ever.

I know I met a great doctor and her team. That's God's gift for me after punished me by this horrible disease. God will give me a longer life. Thank God.

I hope every one suffering from this disease will get blessing.

I live in Quebec, Canada. I want to get some friends from this web to communicate info and

encourage each other. I feel longly some times.

Thank you guys. Enjoy every day.

David

eating
I discovered that I need to stop eating before I feel full Otherwise I feel fine for a short time after eating but then get nauseated and or diaahea. It's just works out better for me to eat 5 times a day. I don't usually have problems with grequent small meals Diane