Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma staging

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [2]

Overview

Overview

According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition, there are 6 stages of mucoepidermoid carcinoma based on the tumor size and node invasion. Each stage is assigned a letter and a number that designate the tumor size and node invasion.[1]

Staging

Staging

  • According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition, there are 6 stages of mucoepidermoid carcinoma based on the tumor size and node invasion. Each stage is assigned a letter and a number that designate the tumoral size and node invasion.[1] The table below summarizes the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging classification.


Mucoepidermoid carcinoma staging
Adapted from American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). 1998 [2]
Tumor
  • T1 – 2cm or less w/o extraparenchymal extension
  • T2 – >2cm but not greater than 4cm; and w/o extraparenchymal extension
  • T3 – >4cm or with extraparenchymal extension
  • T4a – invades skin,mandible, ear canal or facial nerve
  • T4b – invades skull base, pterygoid plates or encases carotid
Nodes
  • NX – Cannot be assessed
  • N0 – No regional lymph nodes metastasis
  • N1 – Single ipsilateral lymph node, <= 3cm in greatest dimension
  • N2
  • N2a – Single ipsilateral lymph node, 3-6 cm in greatest dimension
  • N2b – Multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, <= 6cm in greatest dimension
  • N2c – Bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, <= 6cm in greatest dimension
  • N3 – Lymph node(s) >6 cm in greatest dimension
Overall stage
  • I – T1 N0
  • II – T2 N0
  • III – T3 N0-1, or T1-3 N1
  • IVA – T4a N0-2, or T1-4a
  • IVB – T4b N0-3, or T1-4b N3
  • IVC – M1


References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Radiation_Oncology/Head_%26_Neck/Salivary_gland Accessed on February 17, 2016
  2. AJCC System for Staging of Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors. AJCC Accessed on February 18, 2016

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