Cancer can take an emotional and physical toll on patients. Fortunately, there are resources for emotional and financial support.
Cancer stages offer information about a tumor’s size and how far it has spread. Advanced cancer treatments can slow the growth of tumors and improve quality of life. Radiation can reduce pain and relieve pressure on organs. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can double survival for stage 4 pleural mesothelioma patients.
The symptoms of Stage 4 cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor and how far it has spread. Treatment may be able to slow or stop the growth of the cancer, control symptoms and improve quality of life. It is important to see a doctor if you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of cancer, no matter how mild.
Most cancers are grouped into stages, usually numbered from 1 to 4, with 1 describing early and small tumors and 4 referring to advanced and spreading cancers. The staging system also offers information about how fast the cancer is growing and whether it has spread to nearby tissue or organs. Doctors use physical exams and imaging scans to diagnose cancer.
Some cancers, such as ovarian and prostate cancers, can go into remission even at stage 4. However, most advanced and spreading cancers are not curable. For many patients, the goal is to extend life and improve quality of life.
A doctor may use a combination of treatments to manage the symptoms of Stage 4 cancer. These treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Depending on the type of cancer, doctors will decide on the treatment plan together with their patients.
For pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of asbestos-related cancer, symptoms at this stage typically involve a difficulty breathing and constant coughing. Other symptoms include chest pain or a feeling of heaviness in the chest. If the cancer has spread to the brain, symptoms may include a headache or changes in a person’s sense of touch or balance.
Stage 4 cancer that has spread to one area of the body is referred to as stage 4A, while more widespread cancer at this stage is called stage 4. Cancers that have not spread to distant sites are considered to be in stage 1.
When a loved one is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, it can be helpful to support them through counseling and other emotional support services. It is also important to stay in close contact with them and make sure they know that you are there for them. Be a good listener and give them your undivided attention. Be careful not to compare your own experiences with theirs, as this can be hurtful.
In order to determine the stage of cancer, doctors use physical exams, imaging scans, lab tests and biopsies. The information collected helps them offer an understanding of the cancer’s size, location and how far it has spread. Cancer stages are typically grouped into numbers from 0 to 4. The stage of the cancer at diagnosis is important because it helps guide treatment options and provides an estimate for survival rates.
Staging is also a way to describe how fast the cancer cells are likely to grow and spread. The care team will evaluate the biopsy samples under a microscope and look for how similar or different the cancer cells are from healthy tissue. This will determine what kind of cancer they are dealing with and if they need to treat the cancer aggressively or more gently. It will also help doctors decide which medications to prescribe, if any, because certain drugs work better against some types of cancer than others.
Some cancers, such as blood cancers (lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma), don’t form solid tumors that can be measured with x-rays or scans. For these cancers, staging is done based on the condition of the patient and other factors such as how well the cancer responds to treatment.
Most cancers are staged using the TNM system, which uses letters and numbers to indicate the size of the tumor and whether it has spread into nearby tissues or lymph nodes. This system is commonly used to diagnose solid tumors like breast, lung and colon cancers. It is less common to use this staging system for gynecological cancers, but a separate staging system exists for these types of cancer.
Once a person is diagnosed with cancer, their care team will set up a plan to treat it and manage any symptoms that develop. In some cases, treating the cancer may cure it. In other cases, the goal is to extend survival and improve quality of life. It is important for people with stage 4 cancer to work closely with their care team to understand all of the treatment options available.
Cancer treatments can depend on the type of cancer, its stage, a person’s age and overall health, and what other treatments they may be receiving. A person with stage 4 cancer may receive a combination of therapies to improve their quality of life, control symptoms and stop the growth of the tumors.
A doctor will determine a person’s cancer stage using physical exams, imaging scans and other tests. The stage describes a cancer’s size and whether it has spread to nearby tissues or organs. The stage is rated as T, for tumor, and N, for nodes. It is also categorized as M, for metastasis.
Many of the same methods that are used to diagnose earlier stages of cancer can be used to determine a patient’s cancer stage at any time. These include taking a sample of the tissue, or biopsy, to check for abnormal cells. The doctor can also use an endoscope, a thin tube with a camera attached, to get a closer look at the inside of a body organ.
The most common treatment for lung cancer at any stage is surgery and chemotherapy, but the exact treatment depends on the type of cancer and the location. For example, a person with lung cancer that has spread to one distant site, called stage 4A, is treated differently than someone who has widespread lung cancer (stage 4B).
If cancer spreads to the bones, doctors will often use radiation therapy or surgery to try to remove the tumors. They can also use immunotherapy, which uses drugs to help a patient’s own immune system fight the tumor cells.
For mesothelioma, the most common type is pleural mesothelioma, which occurs in the lungs. The other types are peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma and testicular mesothelioma.
A person with any type of cancer can benefit from talking to a counselor about the stress that comes along with having this disease. It is important for people to be able to express their emotions and not be judged. It’s also helpful for people to have supportive friends and family to talk to.
A diagnosis of stage 4 cancer can be devastating. However, advances in medical technology have demonstrated that there is hope even when the cancer has spread to advanced stages. The outlook for stage 4 cancers is often very different for each individual patient, and depends on a wide range of factors.
The exact treatment plan will depend on the type of cancer and where it has spread. Some treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy. These treatments can help slow or stop the growth of tumors, and improve a person’s quality of life. Many people with stage 4 cancer are able to live for years after their initial diagnosis.
Generally, stage 4 cancer refers to cancer that has spread from the original site in the body to other distant parts of the body. The way that cancer spreads to other organs is called metastasis. Cancer cells that break away from the original tumor travel through the bloodstream to other tissues in the body, where they grow and create new tumors. The lungs are one of the most common sites for metastasis because the lungs filter the blood as it moves through the body.
Sometimes, cancer can grow and metastasize (spread) without causing any symptoms at all. This is called “silent cancer.” This is why it’s important to get regular screening tests, so that doctors can detect and treat any tumors before they cause any symptoms.
Some cancers are highly curable at an early stage. For example, testicular cancer and lymphoma are usually very curable at stage 1 or 2. Some types of cancer can also be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices, getting screened regularly and receiving recommended vaccines.
The goal of staging is to help doctors make a diagnosis and determine how effective various treatments will be. Staging can be determined by physical exams, imaging scans and other tests. The results of these tests will be used to describe the disease’s location and how much it has grown in the surrounding tissue. Knowing the stage of a cancer can help a doctor determine which treatment options will be most likely to succeed.
Most cancer is described in terms of stages. These stages are usually grouped numerically from 0 to 4, and they offer information about the size of the cancer, where it is located, and how far it has spread.
Staging is based on physical exams, imaging scans and other tests. Your doctor will use the results of your staging to decide on your treatment options.
Lung cancer arises in the lungs, where abnormal cells divide uncontrollably. They can form masses that keep the lungs from working properly. Typically, the cells that develop into lung cancer start in the bronchi or bronchioles or in the small air sacs (alveoli). Some types of lung cancer also spread to other areas of the body after developing at the initial site. This is known as metastasis. Generally, the National Cancer Institute classifies stage 4 cancers as those that have spread to distant locations.
Lung tumors can often grow very large before they cause any symptoms. However, sometimes early warning signs can signal the presence of a tumor. These include a persistent cough, difficulty breathing or chest pain that gets worse when laughing, coughing or deep breathing. Another symptom is coughing up blood or blood-tinged mucus.
Cancers that have spread to the brain may also produce neurological changes, including headaches. In some cases, the tumors may obstruct the flow of air through the lungs and result in wheezing.
Because of the late stage at which most lung cancer is diagnosed, many patients don’t receive a diagnosis until they have reached stage 4. If your doctor suspects that you have lung cancer, they may perform imaging tests to look for an abnormal mass or area. An X-ray or an CT scan can show the presence of a tumor, while MRI and PET scans produce more detailed images.
If a tumor hasn’t spread, your doctor may decide to treat the lung cancer itself. This may involve surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. If the cancer has spread, your doctor may suggest a different treatment plan, depending on which organs are affected.
Some patients may be able to participate in clinical studies of new lung cancer treatments, even if they have advanced disease. This is a great opportunity to try cutting-edge therapies that aren’t yet available to the general population. Talk with your physician to learn more about how you can help your family through a lung cancer diagnosis. They may refer you to a specialist, such as an oncologist or pulmonologist, for more specialized care.
This rare type of cancer develops in bone tissue. Its most common forms are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. It may also occur in soft tissue around the bones.
Doctors categorize tumors based on their size and whether they have spread (stage). The staging of a bone cancer helps doctors decide how to treat it.
Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma can begin in any bone in the body, but they most often affect the long bones of the legs and arms. Bone cancer symptoms may include pain that comes and goes or gets worse with movement, swelling of the bone, and fatigue.
If the tumor is in a bone that holds a lot of blood, doctors may also look for signs of bleeding within the bone. X-rays, CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help doctors see inside the bone. They may also use a type of nuclear medicine called radionuclide bone scanning to show where the cancer is in the bones.
People with stage 1 bone cancer have a low-grade tumor that has not spread beyond the original area in one bone. The outlook for these patients is excellent.
In stage 2, a high-grade tumor has developed in more than one place in the same bone but has not yet spread to the lungs or lymph nodes. A person in this stage has a poorer outlook for survival.
If a bone cancer has spread to the lungs or lymph nodes, it is in stage 4. The prognosis is less good for this type of cancer than for primary bone cancer that has not spread.
Many people with bone cancer are successfully treated and their cancer does not return. Others will need radiation or chemotherapy to keep the cancer from spreading. These treatments can go on indefinitely to prevent cancer from returning or growing again. It is important to follow up with your healthcare provider regularly. This way, if cancer does return or grow, it can be caught and treated early.
Brain tumors happen when cells in the brain or near the brain grow out of control. Sometimes they’re caused by changes in a person’s DNA that make cells grow faster or keep them from dying as they should. Other times, they’re caused by abnormal cell growth that occurs because of certain genetic conditions like neurofibromatosis, von Hippel-Lindau disease or Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
Symptoms of brain cancer depend on the type, size and location of the tumor. Some brain tumors are non-cancerous, and these usually don’t produce symptoms. Others, such as meningiomas, astrocytomas and medulloblastomas, are cancerous. They can cause symptoms such as headaches, seizures and changes in memory and thinking.
When a tumor causes symptoms, the most common are headaches. They can be mild or severe. They can also be accompanied by vomiting and nausea, or a feeling of pressure in the head or on the forehead. Other symptoms include a loss of balance or vision problems, weakness on one side of the body, problems with swallowing, slurred speech and a change in personality.
The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor can be similar to those of other illnesses, so it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you notice any unusual or persistent symptoms. Your provider can order tests to diagnose a brain tumor. They can include a spinal tap (lumbar puncture). This involves removing cerebrospinal fluid from around your spine for testing in a laboratory. The test looks for substances that cancer cells release and for gene abnormalities that are characteristic of brain tumors.
If the tumor is found to be cancerous, treatment may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Palliative care can help with managing pain and other symptoms.
Lymphoma is an umbrella term for dozens of different cancers that start in the immune system. It usually starts when infection-fighting white blood cells, called lymphocytes, develop a genetic mutation. They multiply too quickly and grow out of control, crowding out healthy cells and causing the lymph nodes, spleen and liver to swell. Lymphoma may also spread to other parts of the body.
Doctors don’t know what causes it, but they do know that the disease is not contagious and that it does not spread through the bloodstream or bone marrow like leukemia. It can affect people of all ages but is most common in those over 55. Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the most common types of this disease, but other forms exist.
It’s important to see your doctor if you have any of the symptoms of lymphoma, even if they don’t seem serious. The key is getting a diagnosis before the cancer spreads too far.
Before a patient receives a lymphoma diagnosis, they will typically have experienced many of the same symptoms as someone with a cold or the flu. It’s common for them to misinterpret the initial signs as being normal, especially if they have been occurring over an extended period of time.
To diagnose lymphoma, your doctor will examine you and run blood tests and X-rays to determine if your lymph nodes are enlarged or if the disease has spread to other organs. A biopsy will be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment options for lymphoma depend on the type of cancer, how far it has spread and your age.
Often, doctors prescribe chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells and prevent them from spreading. They may also use radiation therapy, targeted therapy or biologic therapy to boost the body’s natural ability to fight the disease.
During treatment, it’s important to eat well. A dietitian can help you plan a diet that will provide the nutrition you need to stay strong during treatment. Be sure to get enough exercise, too. This can help ease fatigue and reduce stress. It’s also a good idea to avoid asking your patients personal questions about their lab results or how long they have left to live.
A cancer diagnosis can be scary for a patient. It is important to get support from family and friends. Support can help ease symptoms and improve quality of life. It is also important to be able to afford treatment.
Doctors use physical exams and imaging tests to diagnose cancer. They may also take a biopsy. This is a small piece of tissue from the suspected area that is examined under a microscope for cancer cells.
When cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is called metastasis. This can happen in several ways. Sometimes, the cancer cells can break apart from their original location and travel through the blood to other areas of the body. Often, these cancer cells will attach to and grow in other organs, such as the liver or lungs. Depending on the type of cancer, and how far it has spread, the person may have different symptoms.
Most types of cancer are staged according to how far the cancer has grown, and how much it has spread from its original location. The staging system is usually based on a combination of numbers and letters. The T rating refers to how large the tumor is, and the N rating refers to whether or not nearby lymph nodes are affected. In addition, some cancers are staged based on how abnormal they look under a microscope. Cancers that have more genetic damage are considered to be more advanced, and tend to grow faster than those that are well-differentiated.
Some types of cancer can be cured before they spread to other parts of the body. Cancers that are diagnosed in stages 0 and 1 are considered localized cancers. They haven’t spread beyond a small area in the tissue where they started, or to the nearby lymph nodes.
Other types of cancer can spread to the lungs or the liver before they reach stage 4. In these cases, the patient may have difficulty breathing, coughing, fatigue, fever, and jaundice (high levels of bilirubin in the skin and whites of the eyes).
In some cases, cancer that has spread to the lungs or the liver can affect the brain. This can cause headache, weakness and a lack of energy. It can also affect the way a person thinks and acts, and can cause mood swings and confusion. Some people who have this kind of cancer may feel like they don’t want to socialize anymore, and can become more withdrawn or depressed. They may also experience loss of appetite and weight loss.
The type of treatment a person gets at stage 4 depends on the cancer and where it has spread. The goal of treatment is to prevent the cancer from spreading more, relieve pain and other symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Palliative care may also be helpful in reducing stress, pain and other symptoms.
When a patient is diagnosed with stage 4, it means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Cancers that have spread to other parts of the body are called metastatic cancer. Stage 4 is the highest stage of cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
Doctors use a system called TNM to measure how advanced a cancer is and what treatments are available. The T stands for tumor (the size of the cancer), N for lymph nodes and M for metastases (spread to other parts of the body). A TNM score of 1 indicates a very advanced disease.
The first step in treating cancer at stage 4 is usually chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is a group of drugs that kills cancer cells and stops them from growing. There are many types of chemotherapy drugs, and doctors choose the right one based on the cancer and the patient’s general health.
For example, women with hormone-receptor positive cancers who have a PIK3CA mutation might benefit from a drug called exemestane plus everolimus ( Afinitor). These medications can help prolong survival even after the cancer has stopped responding to hormone therapy. Other drugs that might be used include fulvestrant (Faslodex) with alpelisib, or the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu).
Radiation isn’t typically used to cure cancer at this stage, but it can help control symptoms and reduce pain. The doctor can use a type of radiation called stereotactic body radiation to target the site where the cancer is located.
When cancer has spread to other organs, it is often hard to remove the entire tumor with surgery. However, if the sites of spread are small and there aren’t very many of them, doctors might be able to remove some of the cancer. If the cancer has spread to bones, the doctor might prescribe drugs that strengthen the bones, such as pamidronate (Aredia) or denosumab (Zometa).
In stage 4 cancer, tumors have spread to distant parts of the body, which may be hard for doctors to see. The prognosis for this type of cancer is typically not good, but there are treatment options that can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. However, it is important to remember that cancer is an unpredictable disease and no two people are the same.
The survival rates for different types of cancers vary by stage, but overall, the 5-year survival rate declines as the cancer progresses to later stages. The number of people who live with a certain type of cancer for a certain amount of time is called the prevalence estimate. This statistic is based on data collected by the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program.
SEER’s cancer statistics are broken down by stage and racial/ethnic group. This information can be useful for researchers and health care professionals because it offers a snapshot of the current state of cancer in the United States. It is also helpful for patients and their families who want to know more about their chances of survival.
These statistics can be difficult to interpret, because they are based on averages and may not reflect a person’s own experience with the disease. It’s also important to note that survival rates can be affected by many personal factors, including a person’s health status and other medical conditions.
For example, testicular cancer is almost always curable if it is detected early, in stage 0. But the chance of survival drops significantly when the cancer is found after it has spread, especially to the liver or lungs.
Survival rates also vary by race and ethnicity. Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with uterine corpus cancer in early stages, and their survival rates are lower than those of White women for all stages of the disease. This disparity is a result of long-standing structural racism that affects access to care and outcomes. Despite these obstacles, the number of cancer survivors continues to grow in the United States. This growth is due to advances in treatment and the increasing aging of the population.
Cancer is a complex disease, and symptoms can vary widely. Sometimes, a cancer will grow slowly and cause few noticeable changes in the body. Other times, it may develop quickly and cause symptoms that are difficult to ignore. Symptoms can include pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, or changes in skin color or texture. If you notice any unusual signs or symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider right away.
A doctor will use physical exams, imaging scans, and other tests to determine the stage of a cancer. The cancer’s stage tells doctors about the size of the tumor, its location, and whether it has spread to nearby tissues or organs. The stage of a cancer also helps doctors plan treatment. For example, if a tumor is close to a critical structure, surgery might be less effective than if it were in a different part of the body.
Depending on the type of cancer, there are several types of treatment available to help patients at this stage. Some treatments can be curative, while others focus on relieving symptoms (palliative care). Surgery is usually the first step in a cancer treatment. A surgeon can remove the bulk of a tumor or just a small portion near a critical structure, and then patients can receive radiation therapy or chemotherapy to reduce the chances of the cancer returning.
Many people with stage 4 cancer experience fatigue as their disease progresses. Fatigue can affect a person’s mood and ability to function, so it is important to have a supportive network of loved ones. You can also take steps to help prevent fatigue by eating healthy meals, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
When a mesothelioma patient is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, it means the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelial lining to other parts of the body. This can be difficult to treat, but chemotherapy and immunotherapy can improve symptoms. These treatments can also extend survival for some stage 4 mesothelioma patients.
The most common symptoms of advanced mesothelioma are drowsiness, nausea, a lack of energy, and loss of appetite. In addition, pleural mesothelioma can cause breathing problems. Patients who are experiencing these symptoms should seek mental health resources and palliative care.
When cancer spreads, it is called metastasis. Stage 4 cancer is when the disease has already spread to organs far from where it started.
Staging describes how severe a case of cancer is. A doctor uses information from physical exams, x-rays, scans and other tests to determine the stage of your cancer.
Lung cancer, also called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), can reach Stage 4 when it starts spreading to nearby organs. It can be difficult to cure at this stage, but there are treatments that can help ease symptoms. Treatments may include chemotherapy and radiation therapy. There are also medicines that target specific changes in the cancer cells and slow their growth.
At this stage, the cancer has usually spread to the lymph nodes around your lungs and possibly to the area that holds fluid in the chest (pleural space). You might have a pleural effusion, which can cause shortness of breath. There are treatments to drain the fluid and reduce its chance of recurring. Your doctor can discuss these options with you.
If your cancer is at this stage, it is likely too far to remove surgically. It may have also spread to other vital structures in the chest, like your heart or large blood vessels. These areas are hard to target with surgery and other treatments, so it is common for your doctor to recommend palliative care.
Lung cancer can also grow into the bones of the chest and spine. This can lead to pain and a stiff neck and back. Your doctor can give you medicine that helps with the pain. The type of medication depends on where the cancer has spread.
Your doctor can use tests to check how well your lung cancer is responding to treatment. The test results will show whether the tumor is getting bigger or if it has spread to other parts of the body. The results will be used to decide the best treatment for you.
Cancer at this stage often causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing up blood. It can also cause other problems, such as a blood clot in the leg (pulmonary embolism) or a buildup of calcium in the body (hypercalcemia). It is possible to live longer with lung cancer, especially if it has not spread widely at diagnosis. This is partly because of advances in treatment and greater access to clinical trials.
Breast cancer develops when breast cells begin to grow and multiply abnormally. These cells may form a tumor, which can spread to nearby tissue and lymph nodes or even to other parts of the body (metastasize). There are several different types of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. It also affects men, though it is less common in them.
The stage of cancer at diagnosis determines how far it has progressed and what kind it is. It is important to know the type of cancer so that doctors can treat it appropriately. The type of cancer can also affect survival rates.
Different systems for staging cancers have been developed. One popular system is the TNM system, which uses letters and numbers to describe the size of the primary tumor, nearby lymph nodes, and whether or not the cancer has spread. In stage 4 breast cancer, the tumor has spread beyond the original location and into other tissues of the body. It is then classified as metastatic breast cancer.
There are several kinds of breast cancer, which differ in how quickly they grow and spread. To determine the stage of a breast cancer, doctors look at the tumor’s characteristics and biopsy results. They may also perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
A biopsy consists of taking a sample of cells from the tumor or surrounding tissue. The specimen is then examined under a microscope to determine what kind of cell it is and whether or not it has the characteristics of cancer. It is also important to know if the cancer is estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive or negative. These factors determine the treatment plan.
The doctor will also determine the grade of the cancer based on how the tumor looks under a microscope. If a tumor has healthy-looking cells and is not spreading, it is classified as low grade. However, if the tumor has very abnormal-looking cells and is growing faster than normal, it is classified as high grade.
Invasive breast cancer can start in the milk-producing ducts (invasive ductal carcinoma) or in the glandular tissue called lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma). It may also begin in other tissues of the breast or in the skin around the nipple.
Prostate cancer happens when abnormal cells grow in the prostate gland. These cells can spread to nearby tissue, like the bladder or rectum, or to other parts of the body, including bones. If the abnormal growths (also called tumors) are found early, they can often be removed without causing serious symptoms or other problems. But if the tumors spread too far, they can become life-threatening.
Doctors aren’t sure what causes prostate cancer. But some factors may increase a person’s risk of developing it. These include: A family history of prostate cancer. Men with certain inherited gene mutations are more likely to have more-aggressive prostate cancer. Being African American. Race may also affect a man’s risk, with black men having double the risk of white men of the same age.
When a person is diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer, it means the cancer has spread beyond the gland to nearby tissue or other parts of the body. This can happen even if the Gleason score or cancer staging isn’t very high.
There are several types of prostate cancer, but adenocarcinoma is the most common type. It starts in gland cells and usually grows slowly. Another type of prostate cancer, ductal adenocarcinoma, starts in the cells that line the tubes (ducts) of the prostate gland. It’s more aggressive than acinar adenocarcinoma, and it spreads faster. Finally, there is a type of prostate cancer that starts in the cells that line the tube that carries urine out of the prostate. This is rare, but it can be fast-growing and spread quickly.
A person’s treatment options depend on the type of prostate cancer and how far it has spread. Some people with early-stage prostate cancer may not need treatment at all. Others may get surgery or radiation therapy to reduce the size of the tumor and relieve symptoms. They might also have medicine to keep the cancer from coming back.
The type of radiotherapy a person gets depends on the substage their doctor assigns to their case. For instance, if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes around the prostate but hasn’t spread to other areas of the body, doctors may use a type of radiotherapy that uses fewer treatments but over a longer period of time. This is called brachytherapy, and it may be used along with surgery or as a standalone treatment.
Kidney cancer occurs when malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the lining of small tubes within your kidneys called tubules. These tumors may grow over time and cause your kidney to enlarge, which leads to symptoms such as blood in the urine. There are several types of kidney cancer. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. It accounts for about 85% of all kidney cancers. It grows in the lining of tiny tubes in your kidneys and can spread to other parts of your body, such as the lungs.
Your doctor determines stage based on the size and growth of your tumor as well as how far the cancer has spread. Doctors use a system known as the TNM system to describe the stage of your tumor. The “T” stands for the location of your tumor, the “N” stands for whether or not your cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and the “M” describes how big the tumor is and if it has grown into a large vein or into the surrounding tissue.
At stage 4, your kidney cancer has probably spread to your adrenal gland and possibly other organs in the body, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). It may also have formed a mass in your abdominal cavity.
Kidney cancer can also spread to your bones or brain. Bone metastases are more likely if your kidney cancer is in the higher-grade form that looks different under a microscope than a lower-grade type.
People with the inherited disease tuberous sclerosis complex are more at risk of developing kidney cancer. They have a greater chance of developing noncancerous tumors in the blood vessels that connect to the kidney and other organs. People with Von Hippel-Lindau disease also have a higher chance of developing kidney cancer.