In order to decide on the optimum treatment course to follow, the doctor needs to determine the extent to which the Lymphoma has spread into the body. This process is known as Staging and can only take place once the doctor has evaluated the number of affected lymph nodes as well as the places of the body in which these affected lymph nodes exist. The doctors also need to assess whether the cancerous lymph nodes exist on one or two sides of the diaphragm and whether cancer has reached other organs beyond the lymphatic system. As a result of this assessment, the doctor classifies the case into Stage 1(I), 2(II), 3(III), or 4(IV) Lymphoma, with 1 being the earliest stage and 4 being the most advanced. In general, stage 1 and stage 2 are identified as limited stages of the disease whereas stages 3 and 4 are the advanced stages.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 1 – What Does It Mean
Stage 1 is the earliest stage of diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and hence is the easiest to treat. A patient is diagnosed to be in Stage 1 when he/she has the cancerous lymphoma cells spread in a single lymph node, a group of lymph nodes in a tissue, or an organ of the lymphatic system, or is found in a single area of one organ outside the system.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 2 – What Does It Mean
Stage 2, on the other hand, occurs when the cancerous cells have spread further to attack more than one group of lymph nodes on either side of the diaphragm. That is, the Lymphoma has spread either in 2 or more groups of lymph nodes above the diaphragm or 2 or more groups below it, but not in both sides at the same time. Alternatively, a patient can be diagnosed with Stage 2 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma if both conditions of Stage 1 occur simultaneously, such that the Lymphoma attacks one group of lymph nodes as well as one area of an organ outside the lymph system.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 3 – What Does It Mean
A patient is found to be in Stage 3 of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma if the cancerous cells have spread in lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm concurrently, or if they have spread in lymph nodes above the diaphragm together with the spleen.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Stage 4 – What Does It Mean
Stage 4 of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is an advanced stage of cancer spread, which is identified when the cancerous lymphoma cells have spread into at least one organ outside the lymph system and are not limited to a single area within the organ while the lymph nodes are also affected. A patient can also be labeled to be in Stage 4 if more than one organ has been affected by Lymphoma.
Lymphoma, with its two types and multiple sub-categories, is a cancerous condition that, despite its multiple types, can be well-diagnosed and hence effectively treated. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis is the key to ensure the doctors and the patients follow the correct path toward overcoming the disease. Ultimately, this would help to ensure a more positive prognosis for the patient and also increase their chance of survival greatly. A number of treatment options have been developed, which will essentially depend on the stage and severity of the disease upon diagnosis.
References:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/stages
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