Grading/Staging
Once bladder cancer is diagnosed, your physician will determine the grade and stage of the cancer:
- grade - differentiates the cells from normal tissue and estimates the rate of cancer growth.
- stage - indicates the extent the cancer has spread and if other body parts or organs are affected. Additional tests may be needed to determine if bladder cancer is limited to the bladder or if it has spread.
The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) provides guidelines for staging of bladder cancer. The stages range from Stage 0 to Stage IV and have detailed criteria for tumor size, invasiveness, presence in lymph nodes, and whether or not the cancer has metastasized (spread) to other organs. A general description of each stage of bladder cancer follows:- Stage 0 - cancer cells are found only on the inner lining of the bladder. This is also called superficial cancer or carcinoma in situ.
- Stage I - cancer cells are found deep in the lining of the bladder, but have not invaded the bladder muscle.
- Stage II - cancer cells are present in the muscle of the bladder.
- Stage III - cancer cells have spread through the bladder muscle into the tissues around the bladder, such as the prostate in men or the uterus in women.
- Stage IV - cancer has progressed further into the abdominal cavity, and may have spread to lymph nodes and other organs in the body.
Make an Appointment
- Please call us during regular business hours to schedule an appointment.
For Urology: (212) 746-5878
For Medical Oncology (New Patient Visits): (646) 962-2072
For Medical Oncology (Follow up Patient Visits): (646) 972-2072
