| Staging is a method of evaluating the progress of | | | | and/or through the colon or rectum. The colon cancer |
| colon cancer in a patient. That is, it looks at the colon | | | | may have invaded nearby tissue. In Stage II, it the |
| cancer (tumor) and the extent to which the cancer | | | | colon cancer has not reached lymph nodes (Lymph |
| has spread to other parts of the body. Once doctors | | | | nodes are small, bean-shaped structures found |
| know how far along the colon cancer is, they can | | | | throughout the body that filter substances in a fluid |
| decide on the best course of treatment.Today, the | | | | call lymph to help fight infection and disease. Another |
| most common used system for the staging of colon | | | | name for Stage II colorectal cancer or Duke B.Stage |
| cancer is the American Joint Committee on Cancer's | | | | III Colon CancerIn Stage III, the colon cancer has |
| (AJCC) TNM staging system. This staging system | | | | spread to lymph nodes, but has not been carried to |
| places patients into one of four stages (Stage I, | | | | distant parts of the body. Another name for Stage |
| Stage II, Stage III and Stage IV).American Joint | | | | III colorectal cancer or Duke C.Stage IV Colon |
| Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging SystemStage | | | | CancerIn Stage IV, the colon cancer has been carried |
| 0 Colon CancerIn Stage 0, the colon cancer is found | | | | through the lymph system to distant parts of the |
| in the innermost lining of the colon only. Stage 0 | | | | body. This is known as metastasis. The most likely |
| colorectal cancer is also called carcinoma in situ.Stage | | | | organs to experience metastasis from colorectal |
| I Colon CancerIn Stage I, the colon cancer has begun | | | | cancer are the lungs and liver. Another name for |
| to spread, but is still in the inner lining of the colon or | | | | Stage IV colorectal cancer or Duke D.Recurrent Colon |
| rectum. In Stage I, the colon cancer has not reached | | | | Cancer or Cancerous CellsRecurrent colon cancer is |
| the outer wall of the colon. Another name for Stage | | | | the return of cancerous cells that have already been |
| I colorectal cancer or Duke A.Stage II Colon CancerIn | | | | treated. The cancerous cells could return as colorectal |
| Stage II, the colon cancer extends more deeply into | | | | cancer, and/or return in any other part of the body. |