Staging typically involves a combination of physical exams, imaging tests (such as CT scans or MRIs), and sometimes biopsies. The most widely used staging system is the TNM system, which stands for:
- T (Tumor): Size and extent of the primary tumor. - N (Nodes): Number and location of lymph nodes involved. - M (Metastasis): Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Each component is assigned a number or letter to indicate the severity, which are then combined to determine the overall stage, ranging from I (early-stage) to IV (advanced-stage).
