American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test

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On what criteria is sarcoma staging primarily based?

Size
Grade
Location
Patient age

The correct answer is: Grade

Sarcoma staging is primarily based on the grade of the tumor, which refers to how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow and spread. The grade provides important information about the aggressiveness of the tumor. High-grade sarcomas tend to grow more rapidly and have a worse prognosis compared to low-grade tumors, which exhibit slower growth and better outcomes. While size, location, and other factors like patient age can influence treatment decisions and prognosis, they do not dictate the staging system for sarcomas in the same primary way that grade does. Size is certainly a significant component of the TNM staging (Tumor, Node, Metastasis), but grade is a critical factor in assessing the disease's behavior and potential response to treatment. Thus, understanding the grade is vital for determining the overall staging and management of sarcoma.