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PrintAfter you receive a definite diagnosis of cancer, it is important to know the stage of your cancer.
Staging describes the size and spread of cancer.
Knowing the stage of your cancer helps determine how advanced the cancer is and whether it has spread to any other parts of the body. It will also help determine which treatment will work best for you.
What is TNM Staging?TNM staging is one of the most commonly used staging systems. It uses a combination of letters and numbers.
The TNM system is based on the extent of the tumor (T), the extent of spread to the lymph nodes (N), and the presence of metastasis (M). A number is added to each letter to show the size or extent of the tumor and the extent of spread.
Ask your doctor to tell you the stage of your cancer and to explain what the numbers and letters mean in your case.
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