Stages of Lymphoma
Your doctor or nurse will talk about lymphoma in terms of stages. This is a way of saying where your cancer is and if it has spread. Do not get overly alarmed if your doctor tells you that you have widespread disease, because this is common in NHL and not considered unusual. Here is what the stages mean:
- Stage I: Cancer cells are in just one lymph node or region (part of your body). This is called “early disease.”
- Stage II: Cancer cells are in two or more lymph nodes or regions AND either above or below your diaphragm (muscle between your abdomen and chest). This is called “locally advanced disease.”
- Stage III: Cancer cells are on both sides of your diaphragm(above and below). This is called “advanced disease.”
- Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to one or more of your body organs (bone, bone marrow, skin, liver, or lungs). This is called “widespread disease.”