Headlines:

Back to cancer staging index

Cancer Staging Systems

Staging of anal cancer

TNM definition

Primary tumor (T)

• TX:  Primary tumor cannot be assessed
• T0:  No evidence of primary tumor
• Tis: Carcinoma in situ
• T1:  Tumor 2 cm or less in greatest dimension
• T2:  Tumor more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
• T3:  Tumor more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
• T4:  Tumor of any size that invades adjacent organ(s), e.g., vagina, urethra, bladder (involvement of the sphincter muscle(s) alone is not classified as T4)
  
  Regional lymph nodes (N)
• NX:  Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
• N0:  No regional lymph node metastasis
• N1:  Metastasis in perirectal lymph node(s)
• N2:  Metastasis in unilateral internal iliac and/or inguinal lymph node(s)
• N3:  Metastasis in perirectal and inguinal lymph nodes and/or bilateral internal iliac and/or inguinal lymph nodes
  
  Distant metastasis (M)
• MX:  Distant metastasis cannot be assessed
• M0:  No distant metastasis
• M1:  Distant metastasis

		Are you a doctor or a nurse? Do you want to join the Doctors Lounge online medical community? Participate in editorial activities (publish, peer review, edit) and give a helping hand to the largest online community of patients. Click on the link below to see the requirements: Doctors Lounge Membership Application

Stage grouping

Memory Aid:
The presence of lymph node metastasis corresponds to Stage III.
Stage IIIA corresponds to locally advanced disease (T4) or node metastasis (N1).
Stage IIIB corresponds to more advanced disease (T4 with N1) or the presence of N2 or N3.

Stage 0

Tis, N0, M0

Stage I

T1, N0, M0

Stage II

T2, N0, M0
T3, N0, M0

Stage IIIA

T4, N0, M0
T1, N1, M0
T2, N1, M0
T3, N1, M0
 

Stage IIIB

T4, N1, M0
Any T, N2, M0
Any T, N3, M0

Stage IV

Any T, Any N, M1

References

1. Anal canal. In: American Joint Committee on Cancer.: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 6th ed. New York, NY: Springer, 2002, pp 125-130.

send to a friend printer friendly version

The Oncology Discussion Board     Breast Cancer Topics       Colon and Rectal Cancers Topics       Lung Cancer Topics The Oncology Articles