What is the primary purpose of staging a malignancy?

The primary purpose of staging a malignancy is multifaceted, encompassing both the determination of prognosis and the identification of suitable clinical trials.

Staging provides crucial information about the extent of cancer in the body, which is directly related to prognosis. It helps assess how advanced the cancer is and what the likely outcomes may be for the patient. This information is essential for clinicians to create an informed treatment plan and for patients to understand their disease better.

Additionally, staging is vital for the identification of suitable clinical trials. Many clinical trials have specific eligibility criteria based on the stage of cancer, ensuring that participants have a homogeneous group that is relevant to the study's objectives. Staging allows researchers to enroll appropriate candidates, thereby facilitating advancements in treatment modalities based on current findings.

Both of these roles demonstrate the comprehensive significance of staging in oncology, which makes the choice indicating that both purposes are correct the valid answer.