Cancer is a disease characterized by the abnormally rapid growth of a cluster of mutated cells. The multiplication of those cells is extremely quick, and it has DNA that’s extremely toxic to the other cells. When this growth occurs in one or both kidneys, it is called kidney cancer. Kidney cancer is of many types, the most common one being renal cell carcinoma. Also called renal cancer, this type of cancer initially occurs in the lining of the tubules in the kidney.
Stages
Knowing the stages of kidney cancer can help with choosing the right treatment and help manage the disease better. The TNM staging system is a tool used to describe the stages of kidney cancer and help identify the most suitable treatment for the disease. Here, T refers to the tumor’s size and location, N refers to the lymph nodes and deals with whether the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes, and M refers to the metastasis to the other parts of the body.
T (Tumor)
The size and location of the tumor are determined by the letter T and a number (0-4) succeeding it, and identifying the stage of kidney cancer helps determine the best treatment method for it:
TX: The primary tumor cannot be evaluated.
T0: There is no evidence of a primary tumor in the body.
T1: A tumor exists in the kidney that is 7cm or smaller:
- T1a: The tumor is present only in the kidney and is 4cm or smaller.
- T1b: The tumor is between 4cm and 7cm and is present only in the kidney.
T2: The tumor is present only at the kidney and is bigger than 7cm.
- T2a: The tumor is between 7cm and 10cm in size.
- T2b: The tumor is larger than 10cm in size.
T3: At this stage, the tumor has spread into the important veins in the kidney and/or perinephric tissue.
- T3a: The tumor has spread to the renal vein, the fatty tissues, or the pelvis. The tumor has not spread beyond Gerota’s fascia.
- T3b: The tumor has now spread into the inferior vena cava below the diaphragm.
- T3c: The tumor has spread to the right atrium of the heart, the walls of the vena cava, or the vena cava above the diaphragm.
T4: The tumor has now spread to the adrenal gland on the same side of the body as the tumor in the kidney.
N (Node)
The N stands for lymph nodes as this stage states how they are affected by cancer. The lymph nodes near the kidney, in this context, are called “regional lymph nodes,” while the ones in distant parts of the body are called “distant lymph nodes.”
- NX: The regional lymph nodes cannot be evaluated.
- N0: Cancer has not yet affected the regional lymph nodes.
- N1: Cancer has affected the regional lymph nodes.
M (Metastasis)
The M stands for metastasis, which describes the spread of cancer to the other parts of the body like the lungs, liver, brain, and distant lymph nodes.
- M0: Cancer has not yet metastasized.
- M1: Cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
