The prognosis (predicted outlook or chance of survival) of non-melanoma skin cancer depends on the cancer’s stage and grade. The stage indicates the extent of the cancer, or how widespread it is in the body. The grade measures how abnormal the cells look under a microscope. The grading and staging systems are combined into another system that allows the physician to discuss the pathology of the tumor in layman’s terms. These stages include:

• Stage 0. This is the earliest stage of skin cancer. The lesion is still at the epidermis level and has not spread to the dermis.
  
  
• Stage I. The cancer is less than or equal to 2 centimeters (about 7/8 of an inch). It may have spread to the dermis, but not to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.
  
  
• Stage II. The cancer is larger than 2 centimeters, but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.
  
  
• Stage III. The cancer has spread to lymph nodes and/or subcutaneous tissue (e.g., muscle, bone or cartilage) but has not invaded other organs, such as the brain or lungs.
  
  
• Stage IV: The cancer is any size and has spread to distant sites or organs, such as the brain or lungs. The cancer may or may not have invaded nearby lymph nodes.