There are several ways to determine the stages of liver cancer
The first thing you need to know is that your doctor may use one of the several liver cancer staging methods. This article will cover two of those methods: the TNM staging (stages 1 – 4) and The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system.
The TNM staging stands for tumor, nodes, and metastasis. Generally, this staging system aims to determine:
- Tumor: How many tumors are there? What about its size and location? Has it reached nearby structures?
- Nodes: Has cancer reached nearby lymph nodes or not?
- Metastasis: Has cancer reached distant lymph nodes? Has it affected other organs such as the bones?
On the other hand, the BCLC system categorizes liver cancer stages based on the symptoms present, characteristics of the tumor, liver function, and performance status.
Please note that, for the doctor to complete the staging process, you need to undergo several tests.

Comments
Share your thoughts
Be the first to let Hello Doctor know your thoughts!
Join Us or Log In to join the discussion