Stage 4 thyroid cancer is the most serious; stage 1 is the least severe.
However, these cells haven’t yet developed into a thyroid carcinoma tumor.
Although many different cancer staging systems exist, TNM is the most commonly used.
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In 2018, the AJCC/UICC introduced the current system.
For example, MX would mean diagnosticians aren’t sure if the cancer has metastasized.
What Is the SEER Staging Program?
People under age 55 and those age 55 and older are categorized differently.
Mortality risk from newly diagnosed thyroid cancer increases progressively with advancing age.
Undifferentiated (anaplastic) thyroid cancer has very high mortality rates and dramatically reduces life expectancy.
The average survival time for people diagnosed with undifferentiated anaplastic thyroid cancer is only six to eight months.
However, life expectancy for other types of thyroid cancer is significantly better.
Summary
Thyroid cancer has a high survival rate.
Nine out of 10 people diagnosed with thyroid cancer won’t die from this disease.
Different stages of thyroid cancer are ranked on a scale from 1 to 4.
Stage 4 thyroid cancer is the most serious.
Stage 1 is the least severe.
Generally, the lower the thyroid cancer stage number, the better the prognosis.
The TNM system is the most commonly used staging system.
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