Staging is a process that cancer specialists use to classify your cancer based on several factors, including how large the tumor is, whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body. Staging is based on your physical exam, analysis of your biopsy by the pathologist and imaging tests. Generally, a lower stage indicates a better prognosis or outcome.
Stage 1 adrenal cancer
In stage 1, the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller and is found only in the adrenal gland.
Stage 2 adrenal cancer
In stage 2, the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and is found only in the adrenal gland.
Stage 3 adrenal cancer
In stage 3, the tumor can be any size and may have spread to fat or lymph nodes near the adrenal gland.
Stage 4 adrenal cancer
In stage 4, the tumor can be any size and has spread:
- To fat or other organs, and to lymph nodes near the adrenal gland
- To other parts of the body. Adrenocortical carcinoma, which is a rare cancer that forms in the outer layer of tissue of the adrenal gland, commonly spreads to the lung, liver, bones, and peritoneum (the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen).