What Is the Last Stage of Bowel Cancer?
Overview There is hope for individuals at any stage of cancer. Cancer of the bowel, also known as colon cancer, is commonly grouped into 8 distinct stages as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). The last stage, or Stage IV, occurs when cancer has metastasized, or spread to distant organs. (See Reference 1) Types of Staging Systems The AJCC staging system, also known as the TNM system, is most commonly used, replacing the Astler-Coller system, which is not as precise.
