I have a question about Staging

[nitewind]

Maybe someone here can help me because I'm a little confused (nothing unusual for me). I was reading about staging in cancer and the article said that if your tumor is 2cm or under and you have no nodes involved that you are considered a stage 1. My tumor was 2cm, clear margins, no nodes involved and yet on my chart at the oncs office it says that I am stage 2. Like I said, I'm a little confused. I'm almost afraid to ask my onc when I see him on Friday because he says I always have something new going on and want answers. Maybe someone can shed some light on this, please?
Thanks and hugs

[Becky]

If your tumor is under 2 cm with no nodes - that is stage 1. At 2cm and no nodes, you are Stage 2A (just).

[Vi Schorpp]

I'm not sure if you saw this message further down the thread, but hope it helps.

New Staging info (http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=30520)
Brenda_D

[nitewind]

Thanks ladies, I appreciate it!

[BonnieR]

Nitewind, you should not have to be afraid to ask questions of your onc. But I know what you mean!

[KellyA]

Ok, I am going to "piggy-back" off of this question. I has a question also regarding nodes at the time of staging. When I had my axillary nodes removed, there were 3+ out of five. The entire clump of nodes was removed, yet there were only five present. I asked my onc if it was worse to have three out of five, say, then 3 out of 15 (based on percentage. He said no- that 3 was 3. I don't understand this, because it seems only logical that if I had had more nodes in the clump that more would have been positive. Does that make sense? Not that I am trying to up my stage or anything, I just wonder if I was more progressed?

Love, Kelly