Introduction
Colorectal cancer is divided into different stages in order to adjust the therapy and thereby improve the chance of recovery and life expectancy. The main criterion is the penetration depth of the tumour into the intestinal layers. Another important criterion is whether the tumour has spread to lymph nodes or to other tissue. The more advanced the stage is, the more intensive the therapy must be.
What stages of colorectal cancer are there?
There are different classifications for stadium classification. The UICC classification divides the stages according to therapy and life expectancy. It is in turn based on the TNM classification.
Here, the stages T1-T4 are subdivided. The T-stage classification is based on the depth of penetration, i.e. how many intestinal layers are affected by the tumor. In addition to the T-stages, additional information is given.
A further point is how many lymph nodes are infiltrated by the tumour. Finally, a classification is made as to whether the tumour has spread to another organ, i.e. whether distant metastases are present. The exact classification based on the TNM classification can only be made after the operation on the basis of the removed preparation.
Colon cancer UICC stage 1
Stage 1 of the UICC classification is the easiest stage. Here the tumor is still quite small. Stage 1 tumors are characterized by the fact that they have not yet spread to lymph nodes or metastasized to other organs.
Furthermore, the tumour must not have spread too far locally in the intestine. It must not be more than stage T2 of the TNM classification. This means that it has spread at most into the muscle layer of the intestine.
Bowel cancer starts from the mucous membrane inside the bowel and spreads from there further and further outwards. Before stage 1, there is a special stage – stage 0, which is referred to as “carcinoma in situ” by medical professionals. This is a very early stage of cancer.
It is only located in the mucous membrane of the intestine and is not invasive. Therefore it cannot spread to other organs and is very well treatable. The chances of cure are very good in case of a stage 1 tumour.
As a therapeutic measure, the tumour is operated on. It can either be performed from the inside of the intestine or part of the intestine is removed. Usually no further therapy is necessary.
In medical circles, life expectancy is indicated by the 5-year survival rate. It indicates the percentage of patients who are still alive after 5 years. In stage 1 it is over 90%. The chances of survival are even higher for early stage T0.
All articles in this series:
