Read about how pancreatic cancer is staged.
Download the whole pancreatic cancer booklet
Our new booklet 'Understanding pancreatic cancer' is available now.
Download Section Three of our pancreatic cancer booklet: Staging pancreatic cancer
- Staging describes:
- the size of the cancer
- if there is cancer in your lymph nodes
- if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
- Pancreatic cancer is given a number from state 1 to stage 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread.
- Whakamārama ai te whakawāhanga:
- i te rahi o te matepukupuku
- mehemea he puku kei roto i ngā tīpona waitinana
- mehemea kua hōrapa ki wāhi kē o te tinana
- Hoaturia ai he tau mai i te 1 ki te 4 ki te matepukupuku repetaiaki huka. Mehemea he iti ake te tau, kua iti ake te hōrapa o te matepukupuku.
Staging pancreatic cancer
Staging describes:
- the size of the cancer (T)
- if there is cancer in your lymph nodes (N)
- if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body (M)
Your treatment team will use this TNM information to give the cancer stage a number from 1 to 4. In general, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage 4, means a more serious cancer.
Stages of pancreatic cancer
- Stage 1
The cancer is small and only in the pancreas.
[early pancreatic cancer] - Stage 2
The cancer can be different sizes. It may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. [early/locally advanced pancreatic cancer] - Stage 3
The cancer can be any size and has usually spread to lymph nodes. It may also be growing into major blood vessels nearby.
[locally advanced pancreatic cancer] - Stage 4
The cancer can be any size and has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver and lungs.
[advanced pancreatic cancer]
Last updated: March 23, 2023