The Philosophy of Staging in Lung Cancer: Prognosis or Treatment Planning?

Abstract

Tumor staging is one of the cornerstones of oncology. The purpose of staging is to provide a universal terminology regardingthe anatomical extent of cancer without causing incomprehensibility. This allows for reliable communication between clinicianswithout room for doubt, a common language in clinical studies, and the evaluation of the results of planned treatment strategies.Although it is critical to represent staging with a terminology that is used consistently and coherently, periodic revisions are alsonecessary. The terminology is also improved in parallel with the obtainment of new data regarding the definition of the anatomicalextent of tumors with developments in technology. Although the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the InternationalUnion for Cancer Control (UICC) are institutions that define and periodically review the classification systems and work togetherin order to ensure the universal consistency of staging, staging in thorax malignancies has been regulated under the lead ofthe International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) for the last two decades. The aim of this review is to summarizeand discuss the philosophy of staging in lung cancer.