From Greek: para allelois beside one another. Lines are parallel if they lie in the same plane, and are the same distance apart over their entire length. Try this Drag any orange dot at the points P or Q. As the line PQ moves, the line RS will remain parallel to it. Parallel lines remain the same distance apart over their entire length.
It is important to know whether the cancer has got into the lymph glands because they are one of the main mechanisms by which the cancer can spread to other parts of the body. As long as the spread is just to the lymph glands near to the colon then this would indicate Stage 3 cancer.
Cancer that has spread outside the colon and on to the lymph nodes in the area surrounding the colon is known as Stage III. In this stage, the cancer has not spread to other organs in the body, and treatment is more aggressive. Surgical resection of the colon, chemotherapy, and other medical therapies may be necessary.