What are the stages of colon cancer?

I was diagnosed with Stage 2 colon cancer five years ago. Stage 2 means it grew through the colon wall but didn't reach the lymph nodes yet. My realistic tip is to get a second opinion on your biopsy slides; it ensures your staging is 100% correct before starting treatment.

I stayed up all night reading pathology reports. Basically, Stage 1 is local, Stage 2 is deeper in the colon wall, Stage 3 is in the lymph nodes, and Stage 4 is everywhere else. Leave the stage-worrying to your oncologist and try to get some sleep.

When we first heard 'Stage 3 colon cancer' for my brother, we were completely devastated and cried for days. It is a very hard emotional phase, but please know that even Stage 3 is treatable with surgery and chemotherapy. Stay strong, you can get through this.

Stages are determined using the TNM system, which doctors simplify from Stage 1 to 4. Stage 1 has an excellent prognosis with just surgery. If you have any symptoms like blood in stool or sudden weight loss, please get a colonoscopy done early.