Abstract
The extent or stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is a key factor that defines prognosis and is a critical element in determining appropriate treatment based on the experience and outcomes of groups of prior patients with similar stage. In addition, accurate staging is necessary to evaluate the results of treatments and clinical trials, to facilitate the exchange and comparison of information among treatment centers, and to serve as a basis for clinical and translational cancer research. At a national and international level, the agreement on classifications of cancer cases provides a method of clearly conveying clinical experience to others without ambiguity.
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© 2012 American Joint Committee on Cancer
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Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., Garcia-Aguilar, J., Kurtzman, S.H., Olawaiye, A., Washington, M.K. (2012). Purposes and Principles of Cancer Staging. In: Compton, C., Byrd, D., Garcia-Aguilar, J., Kurtzman, S., Olawaiye, A., Washington, M. (eds) AJCC Cancer Staging Atlas. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2080-4_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2080-4_1
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