Staging of Neuroendocrine Cancer

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Staging describes where the neuroendocrine tumor is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting other parts of the body. "Stage" and "grade" may be discussed at the same time when neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are being discussed, but they are very different elements in understanding the risk a tumor poses to a person. This section covers staging of neuroendocrine cancer tumors.

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Oncologists use diagnostic tests to find out the cancer’s stage, so staging may not be complete until all of the tests are finished. Knowing the stage helps determine the best kind of treatment, and it can help predict a patient’s prognosis, which is the chance of recovery. There are different stage descriptions for different types of NETs.

Staging systems for NETs

Neuroendocrine cancer of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and pancreas have their own staging systems based on the location and characteristics of the tumor. Some NETs use the staging system for other cancers. For example, the staging of a lung NET is the same as the staging of non-small cell lung cancer. These staging systems are created by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC).  

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In general, a lower stage number is linked with a better outcome. However, it is not possible to predict how long a patient will live with neuroendocrine cancer based only on the stage of disease. 

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