The oldest staging system for pleural mesothelioma is the Butchart System. It is based on the size of the tumor, and has four stages.
- Stage 1. The mesothelioma is in the right or left side of the chest cavity. It may also have entered the diaphragm (the bottom of the chest cavity).
- Stage 2. The mesothelioma can be found in the pleura on both sides of the body. It may have entered organs, including the heart, stomach or esophagus on either or both sides. There may be mesothelioma in lymph nodes.
- Stage 3. The mesothelioma has entered into the abdominal cavity. Other lymph nodes beyond the chest may also be involved.
- Stage 4. The mesothelioma has entered the blood stream and involves other distant organs.
In this system, only Stage 1 is considered early. The other stages are all considered advanced.
Dr. Kaplan
