ACSM Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET) Practice Test 2026 - Free Exercise Trainer Practice Questions and Study Guide

Stages I and II of the TNM classification are indicative of cancer that is typically confined to the original site and may have reached nearby regional lymph nodes. The TNM classification system is a widely used framework for evaluating the extent of cancer spread based on three components: Tumor size (T), lymph Node involvement (N), and distant Metastasis (M).

In the context of stages I and II, stage I usually indicates a tumor that is localized and small, while stage II signifies that the tumor may have grown larger or has spread to nearby lymph nodes, but has not yet metastasized to distant sites in the body. This localized involvement suggests that treatment options may be more effective and that the prognosis can be better compared to more advanced stages where the cancer has spread further.

Notably, the other choices reference scenarios that either involve advanced disease or distant spread, which would typically be categorized under higher stages in the TNM system. Invasive cancer and local spread do not encompass the clear demarcation of stages I and II but rather pertain to different contexts or higher stages where more extensive disease is evident.