Does my cancer stage change if the cancer spreads later?

No. A cancer is always referred to by the stage it was given at diagnosis, even if it later gets worse or spreads.

If the cancer changes over time, new information about how it has changed is added to the original stage—but the stage itself does not change. So you may hear your cancer described by its original stage even after treatment or new findings.

This can be confusing, because the cancer might behave differently than the stage number alone suggests. Your healthcare team can explain your stage and what it means for your care.