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Cancer Diary: The Stages of Cancer

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  If you, a loved one, or a friend has been diagnosed with cancer, you probably already know the four (or actually, five) stages of cancer. For the uninitiated, however, and even for those struggling at one stage or another, it can be beneficial to review the formal definitions of these stages. The different stages of cancer describe how far the cancer has grown and spread at the time of diagnosis. Stages are used to describe the spread of solid tumors, like breast, bowel or lung cancers. Blood cancers, such as leukemia or myelodysplasia, behave differently and are staged in different ways. See Carl's Cancer Compendium for more detail and more links. Stages of Cancer The different stages of cancer describe how far the cancer has grown and spread at the time of diagnosis. Stages are used to describe the spread of solid tumors, like breast, bowel or lung cancers. The stage depends on how big the tumors are and how/if they have spread. Blood cancers, such as leukemia or myelodysplasi