Side effects are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being mild and 5 representing death, using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE).1
Here's a breakdown of the grading system:
- Grade 1 (Mild): Asymptomatic or mild symptoms, no intervention needed.
- Grade 2 (Moderate): Minimal intervention needed, may limit some activities of daily living.
- Grade 3 (Severe): May require hospitalization or prolonged hospitalization, can limit self-care activities.
- Grade 4 (Life-threatening): Requires urgent intervention, potentially life-threatening consequences.
- Grade 5 (Death): Death related to the adverse event.
1 https://evs.nci.nih.gov/ftp1/CTCAE/CTCAE_4.03/Archive/CTCAE_4.0_2009-05-29_QuickReference_8.5x11.pdf