What does the grade and stage of prostate cancer mean?
The grading system for prostate cancer labels the cancer cells by how abnormal they look under a microscope and how likely they are to grow and spread. Grading is used to predict how aggressive the cancer is. Prostate cancer cells are graded according to the Gleason system. This system uses numbers from 1 to 5, based on how much the arrangement of the cells in the tissue looks like normal prostate tissue. A grade is assigned to each of the two largest areas of cancer in the tissue samples. The two grades are added together to create the Gleason Score. Gleason Scores of 2 to 4 are considered low, 5 to 7 are intermediate, and 8 to 10 are high.1 The staging of prostate cancer involves performing tests to discover whether the cancer has spread outside of the original site. Staging is used to decide how advanced the cancer may be. The results of a DRE, PSA level, the TRUS, the biopsy, and the Gleason score are used to decide if staging tests are needed. Tests that may be used to stage prost
