Tumor grade

Tumor grade is a classification system used to categorize cancer cells in terms of how abnormal they look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread. It is an important factor in predicting a patient's prognosis and determining a suitable treatment plan.

Overview

Tumor grade is not the same as the stage of cancer. While the stage refers to the size and extent of the spread of the cancer, the grade provides information about the cancer cells themselves and their likely behavior.

Grading Systems

Different types of cancer have different grading systems. The most commonly used system is the three-tier system (Grade 1, 2, 3), but some cancers are graded on a four-tier scale (Grade 1, 2, 3, 4).

Grade 1

In this grade, the cells and the tumor's organization closely resemble normal tissue. These tumors tend to grow and spread slowly and have a better prognosis.

Grade 2

Grade 2 tumors have cells that appear more abnormal under a microscope. They grow and spread more quickly than grade 1 tumors.

Grade 3

In grade 3 tumors, the cells appear very abnormal and the tumor's organization is often markedly different from normal tissue. These tumors are likely to grow and spread more quickly than grade 1 or 2 tumors.

Grade 4

Grade 4, where applicable, is the highest grade and indicates that the cells do not look like normal cells at all. These tumors are the most aggressive and have a worse prognosis.

Importance of Tumor Grade

The grade of a tumor is one of the factors that doctors consider when determining treatment options and predicting a patient's prognosis. Higher-grade tumors may require more aggressive treatment.

See Also

• Cancer staging
• Histopathology
• Pathology

Tumor grade Resources
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