Esophageal Cancer Stages
After a diagnosis, your oncologist will determine the stage of your esophageal cancer. Staging describes where the cancer is located, if it has invaded lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to other organs. Knowing the stage will guide the best next steps for esophageal cancer treatment.
The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system is the staging system most often used for esophageal cancer. In regards to staging, TNM refers to:
Tumor (T): Size and extent of the tumor
Node (N): Lymph node involvement
Metastasis (M): Presence of distant metastasis
Your cancer can be stage 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, like stage 4, means a more serious cancer that has spread from where it started. Below are the details of each class:
Stage 0: Abnormal cells are present but have not spread to nearby tissue.
Stage I, II, III: Cancer is present. The higher the number, the larger the cancer tumor and the more it has spread into nearby tissues.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
Staging of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus
Stages for squamous cell carcinoma may be divided based on whether the tumor is in the esophagus's upper, middle, or lower part, as well as the grade (G) of the tumor cells.
Stage 0: Cancer is found in only the top lining of the esophagus.
Stage IA: Cancer is in only the top layers of the esophagus.
Stage IB: Either of these conditions:
The cancer is in the top layers of the esophagus, but the tumor cells are less differentiated.
The tumor is in the third layer of the esophagus, but it has not spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stage IIA: Any of these conditions:
The tumor is in the third layer of the esophagus. Cancer cells have spread into but not through the muscle wall of the esophagus.
The tumor is in the outer layer of the upper or middle part of the esophagus.
The tumor is in the outer layer of the lower part of the esophagus.
Stage IIB: Any of these conditions:
The tumor is in the outer layer of the upper or middle part of the esophagus. The tumor cells are less differentiated.
The tumor is in the outer layer of any part of the esophagus.
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus, and cancer cells have spread into the lining of the esophagus and underneath layers. Cancer may have also spread to 1 or 2 lymph nodes near the tumor.
Stage IIIA: Any of these conditions:
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus, and cancer cells have spread into the lining of the esophagus and underneath layers. Cancer cells have also spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes near the tumor.
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus and has grown into the third layer of the esophagus. Cancer cells have spread to 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Cancer has spread beyond the esophagus to nearby tissue but not to lymph nodes or other areas of the body.
Stage IIIB: Any of these conditions:
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus and has grown into the third layer of the esophagus. It has also spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus, has grown into the outer layer of the esophagus, and to either 1 to 2 or 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus and has spread to structures surrounding the esophagus. It has either not spread to lymph nodes or to only 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Stage IVA: Either of these conditions:
The tumor is in any part of the esophagus and has spread to nearby structures. It may also have spread to up to 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
The cancer has spread to 7 or more regional lymph nodes.
Stage IVB: Cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Staging of Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus
T, N, and M classifications and grade (G) are used for adenocarcinoma.
Stage 0: Cancer is found in only the top lining of the esophagus.
Stage IA: Cancer cells have spread into the lining of the esophagus and the layers underneath.
Stage IB: Either of these conditions.
The cancer has spread to the layers underneath the lining of the esophagus. The tumor cells are moderately differentiated.
The cancer has grown into a layer of the esophagus called the submucosa.
Stage IC: Either of these conditions.
The cancer has grown into the layers underneath the lining of the esophagus or the submucosa. The cancer cells are poorly differentiated.
The cancer has grown into the third layer of the esophagus. The cancer cells are well or moderately differentiated.
Stage IIA: Cancer is in the third layer of the esophagus. The grade cannot be evaluated, or the cells are poorly differentiated.
Stage IIB: Either of these conditions:
Cancer is in the outer layer of the esophagus.
Cancer is in an inner layer of the esophagus and has spread to 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA: Either of these conditions:
Cancer is in the inner layers of the esophagus and has spread to 3 to 6 lymph nodes near the tumor.
Cancer is in the third layer of the esophagus and has spread to 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Stage IIIB: Any of these conditions:
Cancer is in the third layer of the esophagus and in 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
Cancer is in the outer layer of the esophagus and has spread to 1 to 2 or 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
The tumor has spread to structures near the esophagus and either no lymph nodes or 1 or 2 lymph nodes.
Stage IVA: Any of these conditions:
The tumor has spread to structures near the esophagus and either no lymph nodes or up to 3 to 6 lymph nodes.
The tumor has spread to 7 or more lymph nodes.
Stage IVB: Cancer has spread to another part of the body.
Recurrent: Recurrent cancer is cancer that has come back after treatment. It may come back in the esophagus or another part of the body. If the cancer does return, more tests will be needed to learn about its extent. These tests and scans are often similar to those done during the original diagnosis.
Esophageal Cancer Treatment Available in Brevard County
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, the oncologists at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard are ready to help. We have treatment centers throughout Brevard County, including Melbourne, Rockledge, Merritt Island, and Palm Bay, FL.