The stage of a cancer describes the size of a tumour and how far it has spread from where it originated. The grade describes the appearance of the cancerous cells. If you're diagnosed with cancer, you may have more tests to help determine how far it has progressed. Staging and grading the cancer will
allow the doctors to determine its size, whether it has spread and the best treatment options. There are 2 main types of staging systems used for different types of cancer. Sometimes doctors use a number staging system. The number stages are: The TNM system uses letters and numbers to describe the cancer. This system is used in different ways depending on the kind of cancer you have. For the TNM system: Stages of cancer on Cancer Research UK website The grade of a cancer depends on what the cells look like under a microscope. In general, a lower grade indicates a slower-growing cancer and a higher grade indicates a faster-growing
one. The grading system that's usually used is as follows: Cancer grading on Cancer Research UK website Page last
reviewed: 16 December 2021Cancer stages
Number staging system
TNM staging system
Find out more about cancer
stages
Cancer grades
Find
out more about the grades of a cancer
Further information
Next review due: 16 December 2024
This page is about the different types of cancer according to the type of cell they start from. You can read about
The main types of cancer
Our bodies are made up of billions of cells. The cells are so small that we can only see them under a microscope.
Cells group together to make up the tissues and organs of our bodies. They are very similar. But vary in some ways because body organs do very different things. For example, nerves and muscles do different things, so the cells have different structures.
There are more than 200 types of cancer and we can classify cancers according to where they start in the body, such as breast cancer or lung cancer.
We can also group cancer according to the type of cell they start in. There are 5 main groups. These are:
- carcinoma – this cancer begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. There are different subtypes, including adenocarcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma
- sarcoma – this cancer begins in the connective or supportive tissues such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle or blood vessels
- leukaemia – this is cancer of the white blood cells. It starts in the tissues that make blood cells such as the bone marrow.
- lymphoma and myeloma – these cancers begin in the cells of the immune system
- brain and spinal cord cancers – these are known as central nervous system cancers
Carcinomas
Carcinomas start in epithelial tissues. These tissues:
- cover the outside of the body such as the skin
- cover and line all the organs inside the body such as the organs of the
digestive system.
- line the body cavities such as the inside of the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity
Carcinomas are the most common type of cancer. They make up about 85 out of every 100 cancers [85%] in the UK.
There are different types of epithelial cells and these can develop into different types of carcinoma. These include:
- squamous cell carcinoma
- adenocarcinoma
- transitional cell carcinoma
- basal cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma starts in squamous cells. These are the flat, surface covering cells found in areas such as the skin or the lining of the throat or food pipe [oesophagus].
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinomas start in glandular cells called adenomatous cells. Glandular cells produce fluids to keep tissues moist.
Transitional cell carcinoma
Transitional cells are cells that can stretch as an organ expands. They make up tissues called transitional epithelium. An example is the lining of the bladder. Cancers that start in these cells are called transitional cell carcinoma.
Basal cell carcinoma
Basal cells line the deepest layer of skin cells. Cancers that start in these cells are called basal cell carcinomas.
Sarcomas
Sarcomas start in connective tissues. These are the supporting tissues of the body. Connective tissues include the bones, cartilage, tendons and fibrous tissue that support organs.
Sarcomas are much less common than carcinomas. There are 2 main types:
- bone sarcomas
- soft tissue sarcomas
These make up less than 1 in every 100 cancers [1%] diagnosed every year.
Bone sarcomas
Sarcomas of bone start from bone cells.
You can read about bone cancers.
Soft tissue sarcomas
Soft tissue sarcomas are rare but the most common types start in cartilage or muscle.
Cartilage
Cancer of the cartilage is called chondrosarcoma.
Muscle
Cancer of muscle cells is called rhabdomyosarcoma or leiomyosarcoma.
You can find out more about soft tissue sarcomas.
Leukaemias – cancers of blood cells
Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. The bone marrow
Leukaemias are uncommon. They make up only 3 out of 100 of all cancer cases [3%]. But they are the most common type of cancer in children.
Go to our information about the different types of leukaemia.
Lymphomas and myeloma
Other types of cancer are lymphomas and myeloma, They are cancers
of the lymphatic system
You can read more about the lymphatic system and how cancer may affect it.
Lymphomas
Lymphoma is cancer that starts in the lymph glands or cells of
the lymphatic system.
It happens because some of the lymphatic system white blood cells [lymphocytes] start to divide in an abnormal way. And don't die as they should. These cells start to divide before they become fully grown [mature] so they can't fight infection.
The abnormal lymphocytes start to collect in the lymph nodes or other places such as the bone marrow or spleen. They can then grow into tumours.
Lymphomas make up about 5 out of every 100 cancer cases [5%] in the UK.
You can find out about lymphomas.
Myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer that starts in plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell made in the bone marrow. They produce antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, to help fight infection.
Plasma cells can become abnormal and multiply out of control. They make a type of antibody that doesn't work properly to fight infection.
Myeloma makes up about 1 out of every 100 cases of cancer [1%] in the UK.
You can find out more about myeloma.
Brain and spinal cord cancers
Cancer can start in the cells of the brain or spinal cord. The brain controls the body by sending electrical messages along nerve fibres. The fibres run out of the brain and join together to make the spinal cord, which also takes messages from the body to the brain.
The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system. The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurones. It also contains special connective tissue cells called glial cells that support the nerve cells.
The most common type of brain tumour develops from glial cells. It is called glioma. Some tumours that start in the brain or spinal cord are non cancerous [benign] and grow very slowly. Others are cancerous and tend to grow and spread.
Brain and spinal cord tumours make up about 3 out of every 100 cases of cancer [3%] in the UK.
You can read more about brain tumours and spinal cord tumours.