clinical staging

Clinical staging is a system used by healthcare professionals to assess and describe the extent of a disease, particularly cancers. It helps determine how advanced the illness is, based on factors like tumor size, lymph node involvement, and whether the disease has spread to other parts of the body. Typically categorized from Stage 0 (in situ or localized) to Stage IV (advanced or metastatic), staging informs treatment decisions and prognosis, allowing doctors to tailor their approach to each patient's situation and improve outcomes.