Understanding Tumor Variability and Defining the 5 Stages of Cancer

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Cancer is a complex disease characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. It is a leading cause of death worldwide and affects millions of people every year. In 2020 alone, cancer claimed the lives of nearly 10 million individuals around the world. According to the World Health Organization, the top 5 cancer types diagnosed in 2020 were breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. In the same year, lung cancer was the most common cause of death by far, affecting 1.80 million individuals.

However, not all cancers are the same. In fact, even within the same type of cancer, there can be a wide range of variability in terms of how the disease progresses, how it responds to treatment, and how it affects the patient’s overall health. In order to better understand this variability and to develop more effective treatments, researchers have defined five stages of cancer, each of which represents a different level of disease progression.

In this article, we discuss tumor variability by defining the types of tumors and the lifecycle of a tumor and define the five stages of cancer.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is a very broad term that refers to uncontrolled cell growth and, as a result, diverting necessary resources from normal cells to cancer cells. Typically, cell growth is a tightly regulated process, but when it becomes rampant, tumors can accumulate. The abnormal proliferation of previously healthy cells can eventually progress from benign to more malignant stages of the disease. Anywhere from 30% to 50% of cancers are believed to be preventable by taking measures to avoid well-known risk factors, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, unhealthy eating, radiation exposure, and staying up-to-date with vaccinations.

Three Types of Tumors

There are three main types of cancers, which we describe below.

  1. Benign tumors are the least harmful because they are not cancerous and typically do not invade other areas of the body. Although they can cause pain, the recurrence rate is very low once removed surgically. Benign tumors can start in epithelial tissues (adenoma), connective tissues (fibroma), blood vessels (hemangioma), or soft tissues (lipoma).
  2. Premalignant tumors are also not cancerous, but they have the potential to become malignant. Patients with premalignant tumors are closely monitored to document and address any changes in their health or appearance. Some examples include actinic keratosis of the skin, cervical dysplasia in women, metaplasia in lung bronchioles, and leukoplakia of the mouth.
  3. Malignant tumors are the most severe type of tumors because they are cancerous and can easily invade other parts of the body. These tumors are characterized by significant abnormal proliferation of cells and greater post-treatment recurrence rates than the other two types.

Major Forms of Malignant Cancer

Cancer can originate from any part of the body, either as a solid tumor in an organ or as a liquid tumor from within our blood. Malignant cancers will typically be named after the location where the tumor originated, not where they spread to. The major forms of cancer include when tumors that occur in the epithelium (carcinoma), connective or supportive tissue (sarcoma), skin (melanoma), or blood cells. Blood cancers can originate from abnormal red blood cells in our bone marrow (leukemia), white blood cells in the lymphatic system (lymphoma), or plasma cells from bone marrow (multiple myeloma).

The Lifecycle of a Tumor

The most common system for cancer staging worldwide is based on the TNM stages: T represents the primary tumor, N refers to the lymph nodes, and M is the metastasis category. As a tumor grows farther away from its primary location and into surrounding tissues or lymph nodes, the lower a patient’s survival rate becomes. However, exact survivability depends on other factors such as patient age, overall health, cancer type, and stage of diagnosis. Surgery or radiation therapy are common approaches for early tumor formation, but by Stage 3 or 4, more aggressive methods like chemotherapy and targeted therapy will need to be considered.

Stage 0

A precancerous phase where healthy cells have begun to grow abnormally but are still located at the primary locations. Stage 0 tumors are not yet cancerous.

Stage 1

Stage 1 cancer indicates that abnormal cells have become cancerous, but the tumor is small in size and still localized.

Stage 2

This stage is reached once the tumor has grown enough to spread to nearby tissue. Up to this point, cancer will often remain treatable with high survivability rates.

Stage 3

This stage of cancer is still localized, but the tumor is considerably larger than those at Stages 1 or 2.

Stage 4

This is the last and most severe point of cancer progression because the tumor is not only increased in size at this point, but it has metastasized significantly.

Why Classifications in Cancer Matter

Although treatment approaches may differ based on the type of cancer, all tumors pose a greater threat the farther they are able to spread from their original site. Therefore, screening and early diagnosis will significantly impact the outlook of a patient’s prognosis. A detailed understanding of how tumors commonly present and their different stages of progression are essential in oncology for accurate detection and making timely treatment decisions.

Vial Oncology CRO

The Vial is a contract research organization that specializes in providing services to sponsors and companies conducting clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology. Our goal is to leverage technology and innovation to create more efficient clinical trials that can be conducted at a lower cost to the sponsor, while still delivering high-quality data that meets regulatory requirements.

One of the key features of Vial Oncology CRO’s services is our fixed-fee pricing model, which ensures that sponsors know exactly how much they will be paying for services upfront. This approach helps to eliminate surprises and ensures that sponsors are able to budget more effectively for their clinical trials.

Another important aspect of Vial Oncology CRO’s services is the use of technology to streamline clinical trial processes. This includes the use of electronic data capture (EDC) systems, which allow for real-time data collection and monitoring, as well as the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to help identify potential issues or areas of concern in the data.

Vial Oncology CRO’s commitment to innovation has also led to the development of new tools and technologies that are designed to improve the efficiency of clinical trials. We have developed a unique patient recruitment platform that uses social media and other digital channels to help identify and enroll eligible patients more quickly and efficiently.

In addition to these technological innovations, Vial Oncology CRO also places a strong emphasis on providing high-quality support and services to sponsors throughout the clinical trial process. This includes providing access to experienced project managers and clinical research associates who can provide guidance and support at every stage of the trial.

Overall, Vial Oncology CRO’s focus on innovation and technology, combined with our fixed-fee pricing model and commitment to high-quality support, makes us a valuable partner for companies looking to conduct clinical trials in the field of oncology. To learn more about Vial Oncology CRO’s services and how they can help advance the landscape of oncology clinical research, visit our website or connect with a team member today!

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