Staging of Lymphoma

The stage of your lymphoma helps doctors describe the extent of the disease and optimize your treatment approach.

• Stage I: Single lymph node or groups of adjacent nodes are affected.
• Stage II: Two or more nodal groups on the same side of the diaphragm (the muscle under the lungs that controls your breathing) are affected.
• Stage III: Lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm are affected or nodes above the diaphragm and your spleen are both affected
• Stage IV: The cancer has spread outside the lymph nodes to organs such as the liver, bones or lungs. Stage IV can also refer to a tumor in another organ and/or tumors in distant lymph nodes.

Lymphomas can also primarily arise from and/or involve the skin, brain, eye or stomach.

Talk to your physician to find out exactly which stage you have. Determining the stage and subtype of lymphoma (by microscopic examination of tissue from a biopsy and imaging) are essential steps toward customizing the best treatment for your cancer.