Stages of non-melanoma skin cancer
Staging for non-melanoma skin cancer is based on the size of the cancer, lymph node involvement, and the involvement of underlying structures, such as muscle or bone. Staging of non-melanoma skin cancer has been classified by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC).1 The AJCC stages are also used in Canada.
- TX: Primary tumour cannot be assessed.
- T0: No evidence of primary tumour.
- Tis: Cancer at this stage is contained in the skin lesion (in situ).
- T1: Tumour is 2 cm (0.8 in.) or smaller.
- T2: Tumour is larger than 2 cm (0.8 in.) but smaller than 5 cm (2 in.).
- T3: Tumour is larger than 5 cm (2 in.).
- T4: Tumour size varies but tumour has spread deeply into muscle, cartilage, or bone.
After the tumour (T) is staged, the TNM system stages lymph node involvement (N) to help determine the treatment options at each stage. Lymph node involvement is staged in the following way:
- NX: Nearby (regional) lymph nodes cannot be assessed.
- N0: Cancer has not spread (metastasized) to nearby lymph nodes.
- N1: Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
The last part is to determine whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastasized). The TNM system stages metastasis (M) in the following way:
- MX: The presence of distant metastasis cannot be assessed.
- M0: Cancer has not metastasized.
- M1: Cancer has metastasized.
The TNM staging system allows your doctor to recommend the most effective treatment options and discuss your long-term outcome (prognosis) based on the type of tumour, the stage of the cancer, your age, and your overall health.
The stage and TNM class are grouped in the following table.
Non-melanoma skin cancer stage and class Stage TNM class Stage 0
- TisN0M0
Stage I
- T1N0M0
Stage II
- T2 or T3, N0, M0
Stage III
- T4N0M0
- Any T, N1M0
Stage IV
- Any T, any N, M1
| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH Carrie Henley | Last Updated: January 29, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology | |
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