TNM staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

In order to develop a reasonable treatment plan, correctly evaluate the treatment effect, and judge the prognosis, the International Union Against Cancer proposed the TNM staging system, in which T refers to the primary tumor, N refers to the lymph node, and M refers to distant metastasis. Then, according to the degree of the tumor, a number from 0 to 4 is added after the letter to indicate the degree of tumor development. The TNM staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is as follows:

1. Primary tumor (T) stage

Tis: carcinoma in situ; T0: no primary cancer found; T1: tumor is confined to the nasopharynx; T2: tumor invades the nasal cavity and/or oropharynx, T2a: no parapharyngeal space invasion, T2b: parapharyngeal space invasion; T3: tumor invades the skull base bone and/or paranasal sinuses; T4: tumor invades the skull, cranial nerves, hypopharynx, infratemporal fossa, orbit, and masticatory muscles.

2. Lymph node metastasis (N) staging

N0: no cervical lymph node metastasis; N1: unilateral cervical lymph node metastasis, with the largest diameter ≤6cm, located above the supraclavicular fossa; N2: bilateral cervical lymph node metastasis, with a diameter ≤6cm, located above the supraclavicular fossa; N3: cervical lymph node metastasis.

3. Distant metastasis (M) staging

M0 has no distant metastasis; M1 has distant metastasis.

Clinicians use the above criteria to determine the patient's tumor stage. The tumor can be T1N0M0, T1N1M0, T2N1M0, T2N1M1, T3N2M1, etc.