How is the extent of cancer gauged? Cancer is gauged through the "Stage", which is a system which tells how extensive the cancer is. The actual method for staging each cancer is particular to that cancer, and there are several different systems which can be used. In general, American doctors use the "American Joint Cancer Committee" (AJCC) system as standard. Typically, the stages go from 1 through 4, listed by Roman numerals. Stage I indicates a very localized cancer and stage IV being widespread to other organs in the body. Obviously, the outcome for a stage I cancer is generally better than for a stage III or IV cancer, since it was caught earlier. Common tests to ascertain what stage a cancer is include careful physical examination, X-rays, CAT scans, bone scans, and bone-marrow and lymph node biopsies. The particular tests and areas scrutinized depend upon predilection of that cancer to go to certain areas of the body more commonly than others. For instance, prostate and breast cancer go predominantly to the bones, so a bone scan is almost always gotten for staging these while uterus cancer goes to lymph nodes in the pelvis which are surgically checked. copyright©CancerAnswers, 1994 all rights reserved last updated May 26, 2010