Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Basal cell carcinoma staging

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saarah T. Alkhairy, M.D. Maneesha Nandimandalam, M.B.B.S.[2]

Overview

Overview

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages basal cell carcinoma based on the TNM system. T, M, and N are combined into stages, called stage grouping.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Staging

Basal Cell Carcinoma Staging

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages basal cell carcinoma based on the TNM system:[1]
T – tumor
N – lymph nodes
M – metastasis

The following table summarizes the T categories:

T Categories Description
TX Primary tumor cannot be identified
Tis Carcinoma in situ
T1 Tumor ≤2 cm in greatest dimension
T2 Tumor >2 cm, but ≤4 cm in greatest dimension
T3 Tumor >4 cm in maximum dimension or minor bone erosion or perineural invasion or deep invasion
T4 Tumor with gross cortical bone/marrow, skull base invasion and/or skull base foramen invasion
T4a Tumor with gross cortical bone/marrow invasion
T4b Tumor with skull base invasion and/or skull base foramen involvement

The following table summarizes the N categories:

N categories Description
NX Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
N0 No regional lymph node metastasis
N1 Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, ≤3 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative
N2 Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, ≤3 cm in greatest dimension and ENE positive; or >3 cm but ≤6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative; or metastases in multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, none >6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative; or in bilateral or contralateral lymph node(s), none >6 cm in greatest dimension, ENE negative.
N2a Metastasis in single ipsilateral node ≤3 cm in greatest dimension and ENE positive; or a single ipsilateral node >3 cm but ≤6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative.
N2b Metastasis in multiple ipsilateral nodes, none >6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative.
N2c Metastasis in bilateral or contralateral lymph node(s), none >6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative.
N3 Metastasis in a lymph node >6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative; or in a single ipsilateral node >3 cm in greatest dimension and ENE positive; or multiple ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral nodes, any with ENE-positive status; or a single contralateral node of any size and ENE positive.
N3a Metastasis in a lymph node >6 cm in greatest dimension and ENE negative.
N3b Metastasis in a single ipsilateral node >3 cm in greatest dimension and ENE positive; or multiple ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral nodes, any with ENE-positive status; or a single contralateral node of any size and ENE positive.

The following table summarizes the M categories:

M categories Description
M0 No distant metastasis
M1 Distant metastasis

The T, N, and M categories are combined into stages. The following table summarizes the stage grouping.

Stage TNM Grouping
0 Tis, N0, M0
I T1, N0, M0
II T2, N0, M0
III T3, N0, M0; T1-T3, N1, M0
IV T1-T3, N2, M0; Any T, N3, M0; T4, any N, M0; Any T, any N, M1
References

References

  1. Amin, Mahul (2017). AJCC cancer staging manual. Switzerland: Springer. ISBN 3319406175.

Template:WH Template:WS

Looking for the patient version?

Back to the patient-friendly article

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH