Thyroid Cancer
Head and Neck Program
Stage Explanation
Stages of thyroid cancer
Once thyroidcancer is found (diagnosed), more tests will be done to
find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body. This is
called staging. A doctor needs to know the stage of the disease to plan
treatment.
Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer
The following stages are used for papillary and follicular thyroid cancer:
Stage I
- In patients younger than 45 years, cancer may have spread within the neck or upper chest and/or to nearby lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body.
- In patients aged 45 years and older, the tumor is 2 centimeters (about ¾ inch) or smaller and in the thyroid only.
Stage II
- In patients younger than 45 years, the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
- In patients aged 45 years and older, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters (between ¾ and 1½ inches) in the thyroid only.
Stage III
The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor either:
- is larger than 4 centimeters; or
- may be any size and has spread just outside the thyroid and/or to lymph nodes in the neck.
Stage IVA
The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor may be any size and has spread within the neck and/or to lymph nodes in the neck or upper chest.
Stage IVB
The cancer is found in patients aged 45 years or older. The tumor may be any size and has spread to neck tissues near the backbone or around blood vessels in the neck or upper chest. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes.
Stage IVC
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Medullary thyroid cancer
The following stages are used for medullary thyroid cancer:
Stage 0
No tumor is found in the thyroid but the cancer is detected by screening tests. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.
Stage I
The tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and in the thyroid only.
Stage II
The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters and is in the thyroid only.
Stage III
The tumor either:
- is larger than 4 centimeters; or
- may be any size and has spread just outside the thyroid and/or to lymph nodes in the neck.
Stage IVA
The tumor may be any size and has spread within the neck and/or to lymph nodes in the neck or upper chest.
Stage IVB
The tumor may be any size and has spread to neck tissues near the backbone or around blood vessels in the neck or upper chest. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes.
Stage IVC
Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or bone, and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is considered to be stage IV thyroid cancer. It grows quickly and has usually spread within the neck when it is found. Anaplastic thyroid cancer develops most often in older people.
Recurrent thyroid cancer
Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has
been treated. It may come back in the thyroid or in other parts of the body.