About Lung Cancer, Staging Information from Mayo Clinic

Staging
Once your lung cancer has been diagnosed, your doctor will work to determine the extent, or stage, of your cancer. Your cancer's stage helps your doctor decide what treatment is most appropriate. Staging tests may include imaging procedures that allow your doctor to look for signs that cancer has spread beyond your lungs, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission testing (PET) and bone scans. Not every test is appropriate for every person, so talk with your doctor about which procedures are appropriate for you.

Stages of non-small cell lung cancer

Stage I. Cancer at this stage has invaded the underlying lung tissue but hasn't spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage II. This stage cancer has spread to neighboring lymph nodes or invaded the chest wall.
Stage IIIA. At this stage, cancer has spread from the lung to lymph nodes in the center of the chest.
Stage IIIB. The cancer has spread locally to areas such as the heart, blood vessels, trachea and esophagus — all within the chest — or to lymph nodes in the area of the collarbone or to the tissue that surrounds the lungs within the rib cage (pleura).
Stage IV. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver, bones or brain.
Stages of small cell lung cancer

Limited. Cancer is confined to one lung and to its neighboring lymph nodes.
Extensive. Cancer has spread beyond one lung and nearby lymph nodes, and may have invaded both lungs, more remote lymph nodes or other organs.

Nov. 10, 2007
© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.