Stage 1 is when the cancer is localised to one area.
Stage 2 is when the cances is in two locations on the same side of the diafram.
Stage three is when the cancer is in multiple locations on both sides of the diafram, but not in any organs.
Stage four is when the cancer has spread to the organs.
I was diagnoised with stage 3 hodgkins 2 years ago and am still batteling.
My sister has apparently recovered from liver cancer by taking milk thistle. (I say apparently because more than five years have passed since her surgery, but who knows for sure if and when it will return.) She had aborted her chemotherapy after two sessions. The liver cancer apparently matastasized from the colon, although they found no cancer there. I know nothing about treating the other organs, but milk thistle is well known for its ability to cleanse the liver.
I am truly sorry to hear about Brian. Have you consider Alternative Treatment?
I have Cancer also . do not know the stage yet. But , Alternative treatment Therapy
could save his life. I tell you a few DOCTORS, who offer AT, it can be expensive,but It can save his life. No side effects like chemo. it is all about cleansing his system, and make the good cells regenarate and kill the bad cells (cancer). Nicholas Gonzalez MD in New York, the Zurbinski Institute in Texas. Find them in Google. That's his decision. I heard of cases with Stage 4. lived longer quality lives with this Alternative Treatments.
I will Pray for all of you.
To the best of my knowledge, Stage I is when it is in the starting place only, Stage II is it has spread to the lymph nodes, Stage III is when it has spread to a vital organ and Stage IV is when it has spread to many organs. (I cannot say with 100% certainty that this is 100% accurate but that is what I think) Stage IV Rectal cancer is what my sister had. My sister went through radiation and chemo for about a year and a half. She had the liver abrasion done to remove some of the lesions. We think her health went down tremendously when they did that. She lived 2 and a 1/2 years from her diagnosis. We think she had it for several years before it was ever diagnosed. Good luck and God Bless you and Brian and your children.