Staging the disease

Staging the disease

The previous tests show whether you have cancer. They will also show where the primary cancer is and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. This helps your doctor "stage" the disease so they can work out the best treatment for you. The staging system used for prostate cancer is the ‘TMN system’ :

where T=tumour, N=nodes and M=metastases.

• T followed by a number between 1 and 4 shows whether and how far the cancer has spread. A higher number after the T (e.g. T3 or T4) means it has spreads beyond the prostate into the tissues around the prostate, or to nearby organs (the bladder or rectum)

• N1 means the cancer has spread to a lymph node or nodes near the prostate. N0 means the cancer has not spread to nay lymph nodes

• M followed by 1a, b or c shows that the cancer has spread to bones or other sitesWhat is Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer is malignant tumour of the prostate gland. Early prostate cancers (also known as localised prostate cancers) are contained within the prostate. These early cancers often do not produce symptoms and may not become advanced cancer.

Such cancers may not need treatment. However some prostate cancers grow and spread to the tissues around the prostate. This is called invasive prostate cancer. There is a group of lymph nodes near the prostate which are parts of the lymphatic system. This is one of your body’s natural defences against infection.

Lymph nodes remove bacteria and other harmful agents. The major lymph nodes in your abdomen, pelvis, groin neck and armpit are connected via the blood to other parts of the body, such as the bones and lungs. Most types of cancer spread in this way, but treatment can often stop this happening.