How is Cancer Graded and Staged in a Pathology Report?
The grade of a cancer refers to how much the cancer cells differ from healthy cells. A lower grade indicates that the cells look more like normal cells and tend to grow slower, while a higher grade means the cells look more abnormal and may grow more quickly.
The stage of cancer describes the extent of the disease, including its size, whether it has spread to lymph nodes, and whether it has metastasized to other parts of the body. Staging is crucial for determining prognosis and treatment. The most common staging system is the TNM system, which stands for Tumor size, Node involvement, and Metastasis.
