Staging Definition

Staging: Staging is the evaluation of a cancer to determine how far it has spread or metastasized. Diagnostic tests used to stage cancer may include lymph node aspirates, lymph node biopsies, chest X-rays, abdominal ultrasounds, CT or MRI scans, and occasionally bone marrow or internal organ aspirates and/or biopsies. Generally, the lower the stage number (stage one, for example), the more likely the cancer is to respond to treatment and therefore have a better prognosis.