Staging (pathology)

In the context of pathology, staging refers to the evaluation of a disease in terms of its progression in the body, or 'stage'. This term is most often used in the context of oncology to establish the stage of development of a certain cancer. To stage a tumor, a pathologist examines tissue from the tumor or uses imaging techniques such as x-rays, CT Scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, or other radiological scans such as a Gallium Scan. Once this information is compiled, physicians are able to determine how much the disease has progressed and the extent to which it may have spread to other parts of the body. This information is necessary to decide upon the best possible course of treatment. Staging applies to almost every cancer except for leukemia, as this cancer involves the blood and is not localized to one area of the body. Some classifications of leukemia have their own staging systems to reflect the disease's advancement.

Related Topics:
Oncology - Cancer - Tumor - Pathologist - X-ray

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Stage migration is the change of disease from one stage to another.

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