An example of the Tumor, Lymph Node, Metastasis (TNM) Staging sytem as applied to breast cancer.
|
|
X
|
0
|
is |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
T
|
tumor cannot be assessed
|
no tumor evident
|
carcinoma in situ: abnormal cells have not spread to surrounding tissue
sometimes known as "pre-invasive cancer"
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a) tumor diameter is 0.5 cm or less
b) tumor diameter is between 0.5 cm and 1 cm
c) tumor diameter is between 1 cm and 2 cm
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tumor diameter is greater then 2 cm but not greater than 5 cm
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tumor diameter is greater than 5 cm
|
tumor is of any size that:
a) has a direct extension to the chest wall
b) has an extension to the skin that is causing swelling or ulceration
c) has both extensions to the chest wall and to the skin
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N
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regional lymph nodes are unable to be evaluated for metastasis
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regional lymph nodes are free of tumor metastasis
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|
tumor has metastasized to lymph node(s) in the armpit adjacent to the primary tumor which are not attached to each other or to other structures
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tumor has metastasized to lymph node(s) in the adjacent armpit that are attached to other nodes or to other body structures
|
tumor has metastasized to internal mammary lymph node(s)
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|
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M
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presence of distant metastasis cannot be evaluated
|
no distant metastasis found
|
|
distant metastasis present, which may be located in lymph nodes in regions of the chest not included above
|
|
This table was adapted from information found in the 5th edition (1997) "AJCC Cancer Staging Manual" published by the American Joint Committee on Cancer.(1)
More information on this topic may be found in Chapter 16 of The Biology of Cancer by Robert A. Weinberg.
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