NSCLC lung cancer staging

Doctors commonly use the TNM system. T describes the primary tumour, N describes nearby lymph nodes and M describes spread to distant sites. The findings are combined into a stage group that helps the team compare treatment approaches and explain the extent of disease.

Staging may involve chest imaging, scans of other body areas, a biopsy and sometimes sampling of lymph nodes. Genomic Tumour Profiling is a different kind of information: it examines tumour biology and may guide medicine choices, but it does not replace anatomical staging. A stage can be refined when new test results become available.

Ask for the TNM details as well as the stage group, and ask which results support them. Depending on the findings, options may include Lung Lobectomy, Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy or other medicines. Some people also receive Palliative Care alongside cancer treatment to relieve symptoms and support daily life; this does not mean care has stopped.

Keep a copy of scan and pathology reports. Ask whether another test is needed before treatment starts and how the team will check response over time.

Seek emergency help for severe breathing difficulty, collapse, sudden weakness, new confusion, a seizure or coughing a large amount of blood. Report new neurological symptoms, persistent hoarseness, worsening chest pain or rapidly increasing breathlessness to your care team without delay.

What are my T, N and M findings? Which tests established the stage? Could the stage change after surgery or another biopsy? How does it affect treatment choices?