- Tumor grade is the description of a tumor based on how
abnormal the tumor cells and tumor tissue look under a
microscope. - Tumor grade is an indicator of how quickly the
tumor is likely to grow and spread. - Tumor grading systems
differ depending on the type of cancer. - Tumor grade may be one
of the factors considered when planning treatment for a patient.
What is tumor grade? Tumor grade is the description of a tumor
based on how abnormal the tumor cells and the tumor tissue look
under a microscope. It is an indicator of how quickly a tumor is
likely to grow and spread. If the cells of the tumor and the
organization of the tumor’s tissue are close to those of normal
cells and tissue, the tumor is called “well-differentiated.”
These tumors tend to grow and spread at a slower rate than
tumors that are “undifferentiated” or “poorly differentiated,”
which have abnormal-looking cells and may lack normal tissue
structures. Based on these and other differences in microscopic
appearance, doctors assign a numeric