| When a cancer reaches it final stages, or also | | | | it is more serious and hard to treat. |
| known as advanced cancer, it's usually no longer | | | | It is scary situation if a member of your family |
| treatable. In these stages, the cancer has spread | | | | has reached the final stages of cancer. Witnessing |
| from where it started to other parts of the body. | | | | a life that is coming to and end is heart breaking. |
| It is called "locally advanced cancer" if t has | | | | It takes a lot of courage to be there and care for |
| spread to only adjacent or nearby areas. If it has | | | | a cancer patient. At the final stages, the patient is |
| spread to distant parts in the body, it is now | | | | usually very ill and dying, unable to walk but only a |
| "metastasis cancer". | | | | few steps, some time in much pain, confused and |
| Cancer staging is the process of finding out | | | | very depressed since his or her days are |
| whether it has spread and how far from the | | | | numbered. He or she tends to pull away or |
| primary site. Although there are more than one | | | | withdraw from people, disconnecting from life. |
| system used for staging different cancers, TNM | | | | The patient is under much anxiety and so are the |
| staging system is used most. It gives 3 key | | | | family members. It is very important for family |
| pieces of information: T indicates the size of the | | | | members to be understanding and patient with |
| tumor; N refers to the cancer spread to the close | | | | the cancer patient. Just stay around and show |
| by lymph nodes and M notes whether the cancer | | | | that you care and are there for them. Lending |
| has spread to other organs or part of the body. | | | | your ears and listen to what they have to say or |
| The numbers and letters after these TNM letters | | | | want to get off their chest. A gentle smile or a |
| give more information regarding each of these | | | | gentle touch is all you need to do to soothe the |
| factors. The descriptions of TNM can be grouped | | | | dying person. Prayers are very helpful too. Offer |
| together and labeled with Roman numerals from I | | | | to pray for them or praying with them. Your |
| to IV, a simpler set of stages. The lower the | | | | caring and sincerity can be felt and greatly |
| number, the less the cancer has spread and more | | | | appreciated. |
| controllable and treatable. The higher the number, | | | | |