What is the difference between grade and stage in cancer diagnosis? Raipur-based senior cancer surgeon explains

The grade of cancer and its stage indicates two different criteria within the same diagnosis. Dr Sharma explains what they are to help avoid confusion.

A cancer diagnosis comes with two different classifications: grade and stage. A report may state that an individual has Grade 2, Stage IIIA breast cancer. Both of the terms have distinct meanings, which often leave people confused. Taking to Instagram on April 26, Dr Jayesh Sharma, Raipur-based oncologist with over 25 years of experience, explained what they are and how they are detected.

What is the grade of cancer?

Dr Sharma explained the two terms, grade and stage of cancer, with the help of an allegory.

“Imagine cancer to be a gang of criminals and the doctor to be the chief of police. To deal with the gang problem in the city (the body of the infected individual), the first thing that needs to be done is rounding up a few members and understanding the threat that they present,” shared the oncologist. “The range of the threat that is in between an average college student and a dangerous career criminal is the grade.”

Thus, the grade of cancer shows how similar cancerous cells look to normal cells, and at what rate they are likely to grow. Higher grade means more abnormal cells and faster growth. The test that is done to find out where the infected cell of an individual lies within the range of a normal to a completely infected cell is known as a biopsy. The biopsy also reveals how aggressive the cancer is.

What is the stage of cancer?

“To deal with the gang of criminals, the second thing that needs to be done is finding out how deep they have penetrated within the city. To do this, the chief of police will likely need to go through CCTV footage or send their own people out in the field to get the necessary information,” shared Dr Sharma.

The same logic is followed when doctors order tests while diagnosing cancer patients. It could be anything in a wide range of tests, such as a CT scan, PET CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound. This tells the doctor how far the cancer has spread within the body, and is known as the stage of cancer.

The oncologist further elaborated on the stages of cancer with the example of breast cancer.

“In stage one of breast cancer, a small mass is seen in the breast, which has not spread to the underarms. In the second stage, the mass slightly increases in size, and there is likely to be small masses forming in the underarms as well. In stage three, the mass has grow significantly bigger and is affecting the skin, and there a number of masses in the underarms. Stage four is when the cancer has spread beyond the breast and underarms to other organs such as the lungs, liver and brain.”

Thus, grade means how aggressive the cancer is, and stage is how far it has spread.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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