AbstractThe results of expressing patient outcome are compared using two staging systems: localized, regional, and distant (LRD) and the TNM of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). Expressing patient outcome depends on the staging system used. There is overlap between the stage definitions of the LRD and the TNM. A single stage in the LRD may include more than one stage grouping of the TNM and vice versa. For most sites, “localized” provides lower survival rates than stage I of the TNM. The TNM provides more precise information about prognosis because its definitions reflect the latest survival information and diagnostic technology. Time trends can be measured only with the LRD because of its stability over the years. The precision of the TNM has been achieved at the expense of time trend analysis. The LRD is usually not an acceptable end point for the assessment of early cancer detection. © 1992 Wiley‐Lis