What are the current diagnostic stages of lung cancer?

What are the current diagnostic stages of lung cancer?

There are several stages of lung cancer, stages 1, 2, 3 & 4. And within those stages 1, 2 & 3 there are subtypes A & B. Its a complex staging system that physicians use as a common language to predict prognosis. This is based on what's called a TNM staging. T is referred to as the tumor, which is the lung tumor itself and it describes the location and the local advancement of the tumor. It describes what the lung cancer itself is currently. N staging is the nodule staging that refers to lymph nodes not only in the lung but also lymph nodes in the center of the chest, called the mediastinum. And finally M sub classification refers to metastasis. So the combination of TNM will define what stage you are, whether it be 1, 2, 3 or 4.