Stages of Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer :-

There are two main staging systems in use for pleural mesothelioma. These are called the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG) system and the Brigham system. In the UK, the system that is mostly commonly used is the IMIG system. Specialists generally don't use the Brigham system any more, but we've left it in here for now in case your own doctor refers to it.

The IMIG system :-

This is based on the TNM staging system.The TNM system is the staging system most commonly used in cancer staging generally. The TNM system describes the extent of the primary tumour (T), the absence or presence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes (N), and the absence or presence of distant metastases (M).
Once the TNM categories have been decided, this information is grouped together to give the stage.

Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 is the most advanced stage.

Stage 1a Mesothelioma affects the outer layer of the pleura around the chest wall, on one side of the chest only. It may have grown in the pleural tissue covering the diaphragm

Stage 1b Mesothelioma has started to spread to the inner pleural layer (closest to the lungs), but remains on one side of the chest.

Stage 2 Mesothelioma has spread to both layers of the pleura on one side of the body, and has enlarged to form a tumour mass on the pleural tissue around the lungs, or has started to spread into the diaphragm muscle or the lung tissue

Stage 3 Mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall or the covering of the heart (pericardium), but is still potentially removable by surgery. Or it has spread to the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest

Stage 4 Mesothelioma cannot be removed by surgery because it has spread to different parts of the chest wall, or grown through the diaphragm into the peritoneum, or to the pleura on the other side of the body, or to the chest organs, or through to the inner layer of the pericardium. Or it has spread to the lymph nodes on the other side of the chest, or above the collarbone. Or has spread to other parts of the body.

The Brighim staging system :-

This is based on whether the mesothelioma can be removed by surgery and whether the lymph nodes are involved or not. Again there are four stages, which are similar to the TNM system.

Stage 1 Mesothelioma can be removed with surgery and there are no lymph nodes containing cancer cells

Stage 2 Mesothelioma can be removed with surgery but there are lymph nodes containing cancer cells

Stage 3 Mesothelioma cannot be removed with surgery because it has spread into the chest wall, heart, or through the diaphragm into the peritoneum. There may or may not be lymph nodes containing cancer cells.

Stage 4 Mesothelioma has spread via the bloodstream to other organs in the body such as the liver, brain or bonePeritoneal mesothelioma stagesThere is no established staging system for peritoneal mesothelioma. If your cancer is staged it may be done according to the TNM system. The TNM system is the staging system most commonly used in cancer. The TNM system describes the extent of the primary tumour (T), the absence or presence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes (N), and the absence or presence of distant metastases (M).