Stomach cancer is staged by tumor size, level of spread to the lymph nodes and spread to other organs. The staging system is used by physicians to gauge the extent of growth and spread of the cancer cells. The patient’s age, the extent of the spread of the cancer and the condition of the patient’s general health aids in determining the treatment path with the best possible outcomes.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) has developed a more detailed “TNM” staging system used by physicians:

• “T” describes the extent of tumor growth.
• “N” describes the extent of lymph node involvement.
• “M” describes the extent of distant metastasis.
  

The stages of stomach cancer are quite detailed and will be determined by analysis by a pathologist. A general description of the stages of stomach cancer is as follows:

• Stage 0. Cancer is located in the inside lining of the stomach only. This is also called carcinoma in situ.
  
  
• Stage I. Cancer may have spread through the innermost and middle layers of the stomach wall. Surrounding lymph nodes may or may not be affected.
  
  
• Stage II. Cancer is located in the innermost, middle and/or outermost layers of the stomach. Unless the outermost layer is involved, cancer is also in several nearby lymph nodes.
  
  
• Stage III. Cancer is located in the middle and/or outermost layers of the stomach and more lymph nodes per layer than in stage II. If any nearby organs are affected, the lymph nodes and distant organs are not.
  
  
• Stage IV. Cancer may be located in nearby organs, lymph nodes and/or it has spread to distant organs.
  
  
• Recurrent. Cancer that recurs after treatment and may return to the stomach or other parts of the body such as liver or lymph nodes.

The following 5-year survival rates for stomach cancer, according to the American Cancer Society: