This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Maurie Markman, MD, President, Medicine & Science
This page was updated on April 29, 2022.
Stage 1 cancer is often referred to as early-stage cancer. It occurs when cancer develops in the body but has not spread to distant regions and has not grown deeply into nearby tissue.
Stage 1 cancer is cancer that's small and localized to one area, that hasn't spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Even if the cancer spreads or improves, it will still be referred to by the stage at which it was diagnosed. Cancers at the same stage are often treated similarly. For example, treatment for stage 1 cancer generally includes surgery.
Stage 1 breast cancer is an early stage of invasive breast cancer, in which the tumor measures up to 2 cm and no lymph nodes are involved. The cancer cells have spread beyond the original location and into the surrounding breast tissue.
In non-small cell lung cancers, which account for more than 80 percent of lung cancer diagnoses, stage 1 lung cancer means the cancer may have formed in underlying lung tissues but has not spread to the lymph nodes.
The cancer is confined to the prostate. It cannot be detected during a digital rectal exam and is typically expected to grow slowly.
The cancer has grown into the intestinal wall, through the mucosa (the inner lining) and into the submucosa. It also may have entered the muscle. The cancer does not appear to have spread to lymph nodes or distant organs.
The cancer cells have grown into the skin but have not spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Learn more about melanoma stages
Staging cancer determines the degree to which it has grown and where it’s located in the body. In most cases, cancer is staged using some form of the TNM system, which stands for:
Some cancers, such as blood cancers, and brain and spinal cord tumors, use different staging systems. For instance, brain cancer is usually graded rather than staged, based on factors including:
In grade 1 brain cancer, the tumor grows slowly and rarely spreads into nearby tissues. It also may be possible to remove the tumor with surgery.
The treatment options for stage 1 cancer depend on the type and location of the cancer. In some cases, stage 1 cancer treatment involves chemotherapy, radiation therapy, medications, surgery or a combination of approaches.
Because stage 1 cancer hasn’t spread, the treatment options aren’t typically as aggressive as in more advanced-stage cancers, and in some cases (such as with prostate cancer), the patient may be advised to hold off on treatment as the care team monitors the cancer’s behavior. This is called “watch and wait,” “active surveillance” or a “watchful waiting” approach.
Survival rate estimates for patients with stage 1 cancer vary based on several factors, including:
Many patients with stage 1 cancer live for years as long as the cancer is treated and managed.
A few factors to keep in mind:
Patients should collaborate with their care teams to share decision-making at each stage of treatment.
Stage 1 cancer may spread, but once it's been staged, it maintains that staging designation throughout treatment, even if it progresses to more advanced stages. If the cancer has not yet been diagnosed or staged, those with stage 1 characteristics that spread to the lymph nodes are technically considered stage 2 cancer and would be staged as such if diagnosed at that point. If what started as stage 1 cancer metastasizes (or spreads) to other organs before it's diagnosed, it would be assigned a more advanced stage (such as stage 3 or 4, depending in how far the cancer spreads from its original location) at diagnosis.
If stage 1 caner is treated and comes back, it's referred to as recurrent cancer. Because this may occur following treatment, it's extremely important to follow up with the care team for all scheduled visits and diagnostic tests.
