TNM/STAGE Flashcards
ANATOMICAL SUBSITES
- Nipple (C50.0)
- Central portion (C50.1)
- Upper inner quadrant (C50.2)
- Lower inner quadrant (C50.3)
- Upper outer quadrant (C50.4)
- Lower outer quadrant (C50.5)
- Axillary tail (C50.6)
Regional Lymph Nodes
The regional lymph nodes are:
Axillary (ipsilateral): interpectoral (Rotter) nodes and lymph nodes along the axillary vein and its tributaries, which may be divided into the following levels:
a. Level I (low axilla): lymph nodes lateral to the lateral border of pectoralis minor muscle
b. Level II (mid axilla): lymph nodes between the medial and lateral borders of the pectoralis minor muscle and the interpectoral (Rotter) lymph nodes
c. Level III (apical axilla): apical lymph nodes and those medial to the medial margin of the pectoralis minor muscle, excluding those designated as subclavicular or infraclavicular
Infraclavicular (subclavicular) (ipsilateral)
Internal mammary (ipsilateral): lymph nodes in the intercostal spaces along the edge
of the sternum in the endothoracic fascia
Supraclavicular(ipsilateral)
TX
T0
Tis
Tis DCIS
Tis LCIS
Tis PAGET
TX Primary tumour cannot be assessed T0 No evidence of primary tumour
Tis Carcinoma in situ
Tis Ductal carcinoma in situ
(DCIS)
Tis Lobular carcinoma in situa (LCIS)
Tis Paget disease of the nipple not associated with invasive carcinoma and/or (Paget) carcinoma in situ (DCIS and/or LCIS) in the underlying breast parenchyma.
Carcinomas in the breast parenchyma associated with Paget disease are categorized based on the size and characteristics of the parenchymal disease, although the presence of Paget disease should still be noted.
T1mi
Microinvasion is the extension of cancer cells beyond the basement membrane into the adjacent tissues with no focus more than 0.1 cm in greatest dimension. When there are multiple foci of microinvasion, the size of only the largest focus is used to classify the microinvasion. (Do not use the sum of all individual foci.) The presence of multiple foci of microinvasion should be noted, as it is with multiple larger invasive carcinomas.
T1
T1 Tumour 2 cm or less in greatest dimension
T1mi Microinvasion 0.1 cm or less in greatest dimensionb
T1a More than 0.1 cm but not more than 0.5 cm in greatest dimension
T1b More than 0.5 cm but not more than 1 cm in greatest dimension
T1c More than 1 cm but not more than 2 cm in greatest dimension
T2
T2 Tumour more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm in greatst dimension.
T3
T3 Tumour more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
T4
T4 Tumour of any size with direct extension to chest wall and/or to skin (ulceration or
skin nodules)c
T4a Extension to chest wall (does not include pectoralis muscle invasion only)
T4b Ulceration, ipsilateral satellite skin nodules, or skin oedema (including peau d’orange)
T4c Both 4a and 4b
T4d Inflammatory carcinomad
T4a
T4a Extension to chest wall (does not include pectoralis muscle invasion only)
Chest wall includes ribs, intercostal muscles, and serratus anterior muscle but not pectoral muscle.
T4b
T4b Ulceration, ipsilateral satellite skin nodules, or skin oedema (including peau d’orange)
Invasion of the dermis alone does not qualify as T4.
T4c
T4c Both 4a and 4b
T4a Extension to chest wall (does not include pectoralis muscle invasion only)
T4b Ulceration, ipsilateral satellite skin nodules, or skin oedema (including peau d’orange)
T4d
T4d Inflammatory carcinoma
Inflammatory carcinoma of the breast is characterized by diffuse, brawny induration of the skin with an erysipeloid edge, usually with no underlying mass. If the skin biopsy is negative and there is no localized measurable primary cancer, the T category is pTX when pathologically staging a clinical inflammatory carcinoma (T4d). Dimpling of the skin, nipple retraction, or other skin changes, except those in T4b and T4d, may occur in T1, T2, or T3 without affecting the classification.
NX, N0
NX Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed (e.g., previously removed)
N0 No regional lymph node metastasis
N1
N1 Metastasis in movable ipsilateral level I, II axillary lymph node(s)
N2
N2 Metastasis in ipsilateral level I, II axillary lymph node(s) that are clinically fixed or matted; or in clinically detected* ipsilateral internal mammary lymph node(s) in the absence of clinically evident axillary lymph node metastasis
N2a Metastasis in axillary lymph node(s) fixed to one another (matted) or to other structures
N2b Metastasis only in clinically detected* internal mammary lymph node(s) and in the absence of clinically detected axillary lymph node metastasis
N2a
N2a Metastasis in axillary lymph node(s) fixed to one another (matted) or to other structures
N2b
N2b Metastasis only in clinically detected* internal mammary lymph node(s) and in the absence of clinically detected axillary lymph node metastasis
N3
N3 Metastasis in ipsilateral infraclavicular (level III axillary) lymph node(s) with orwithout level I, II axillary lymph node involvement; or in clinically detected*ipsilateral internal mammary lymph node(s) with clinically evident level I, II axillary lymph node metastasis; or metastasis in ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node(s) with or without axillary or internal mammary lymph node involvement
N3a Metastasis in infraclavicular lymph node(s)
N3b Metastasis in internal mammary and axillary lymph nodes
N3c Metastasis in supraclavicular lymph node(s)
N3a
N3a Metastasis in infraclavicular lymph node(s)
N3b
N3b Metastasis in internal mammary and axillary lymph nodes
N3c
N3c Metastasis in supraclavicular lymph node(s)
Clinically detected T def
Clinically detected is defined as detected by clinical examination or by imaging studies (excluding lymphoscintigraphy) and having characteristics or a presumed pathological macrometastasis based on fine needle aspiration biopsy with cytologic examination. Confirmation of clinically detected metastatic disease by fine needle aspiration without excision biopsy is designated with an (f) suffix, e.g. cN3a(f).
M
M0 No distant metastasis
M1 Distant metastasis
pTNM
pT
The pathological classification requires the examination of the primary carcinoma with no gross tumour at the margins of resection. A case can be classified pT if there is only microscopic tumour in a margin.
The pT categories correspond to the T categories.
Note
When classifying pT the tumour size is a measurement of the invasive component. If there is a large in situ component (e.g., 4 cm) and a small invasive component (e.g., 0.5 cm), the tumour is coded pT1a.