Primary & Secondary Stages of Cancer
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Stage 1 Cancer
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The primary stage of cancer is often referred to as Stage 1 cancer, which can often be broken out into the "sub-stages" of 1A and 1B. With 1A cancer, the malignant tissue is typically no more than 2 to 3 cm in size and is still contained within the organ itself. As the disease progresses into 1B, you may see an increase in the size of cancerous tissue that is still contained to the organ, yet it is also possible for some metastasis. If metastasis occurs, the cancer may have spread into other parts of the organ as well as the protective lining of this organ.
Surgery is probably one of the more common treatments for this stage of cancer, where a portion of the organ containing the malignancy is removed through a procedure known as a resection. However, you may also go through external beam radiation therapy or chemotherapy to shrink and kill the cancerous growth. If these treatments prove to be ineffective, you may go through a clinical trial that involves different combinations of surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Stage 2 Cancer
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When referring to the secondary stage of cancer, you are generally talking about Stage 2 cancer, which is also commonly broken out into "sub-stages" of 2A and 2B. In Stage 2A, the malignant tissue is right around 2 to 3 cm in size and the abnormal cells have metastasized into the neighboring lymph nodes. When the cancer further progresses into 2B, the lymph nodes are still affected, but you will also experience metastasis into other parts of the organ as well as the protective lining of this organ, similar to Stage 1B.
The same treatment options are used in this stage of the disease as in Stage 1 cancer, going through a surgical procedure to remove the diseased tissue, external beam radiation to shrink and kill the malignant tumor or chemotherapy to also shrink and kill the cancerous tissue. But, this stage of cancer may use the combination approach of surgery and chemotherapy or surgery and radiation therapy. A surgical procedure is first performed and then an adjuvant course of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
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Carcinoma in Situ
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Though not necessarily a primary (or secondary) stage of cancer, it is also possible to be diagnosed with carcinoma in situ. Also known as Stage 0 cancer, the innermost lining of the organ contains the abnormal cells often associated with this form of disease. The tissue has not actually developed a malignant tumor of any sort, but the presence of these cells means that the potential is there.
In this diagnosis of the disease, your treatment typically relies on the removal of the tissue where the abnormal cells were detected. It is considered an excision or resection surgery, where a small wedge of tissue is usually only removed. If this fails to provide results, your treatment options are usually based on the type of cancer you are dealing with.
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