Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)

If you're diagnosed with MALT lymphoma, the next step is to find out how much and where the cancer has spread. This is called the stage. Healthcare professionals may use imaging and biopsies to determine the stage by looking at how big the cancer is and its location. Your healthcare team creates your treatment plan based on your stage.

The stages of MALT lymphoma range from 1 to 4. A higher stage number means the cancer is more advanced.

For gastric MALT lymphoma, the stages include 1, 2 and 4. There is no stage 3.

• Stage 1. At this stage, the cancer is confined to the gastrointestinal tract.
• Stage 2. At stage 2, the cancer has spread into the abdomen and nearby lymph nodes.
• Stage 4. At stage 4, the cancer is found in multiple sites outside of the lymph nodes or has spread to other organs.

For nongastric MALT lymphoma, the stages include 1, 2, 3 and 4.

• Stage 1. Typically, one lymph node or one group of lymph nodes is affected. Or a single area outside the lymph node is affected.
• Stage 2. Two or more lymph node regions on the same side of the diaphragm are involved, with or without a small amount of spread to outside the lymph nodes.
• Stage 3. Lymph node regions on both sides of the diaphragm are affected. Or lymph nodes above the diaphragm and the spleen are affected.
• Stage 4. The MALT lymphoma has spread outside of the lymph nodes. The spread is usually to organs, including the bone marrow, liver and lungs.