Grading

Cancer grading indicates how fast the cancer is developing. The doctor examines the biopsy under a microscope to calculate the cancer cells’ stage.

Grading is done based on the differentiation of the cells. Differentiation is a process that shows the development of the cell. Cancer cells are poorly differentiated; thus, they stand out from normal cells when viewed under a microscope.

Many cancers are divided into three grades:

Grade 1 (low grade) – the tumour cells are similar in appearance to normal cells, i.e., they are very well differentiated and grow slowly.

Grade 2 (intermediate grade) – the tumour cells are less similar in appearance to normal cells, i.e., they are averagely differentiated and grow comparatively faster than the Grade 1 cells. 

Grade 3 (high grade) – the tumour cells are entirely different from normal cells, i.e., the cells are poorly differentiated and grow much more quickly.

Low-grade tumours grow slowly and are less likely to spread. High-grade tumours grow faster and spread faster.