Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma staging
Introduction
TNM staging
TNM staging
Primary tumor
- Tx: primary tumor cannot be assessed
- T0: no evidence of primary tumor
- Tis: carcinoma in situ
- T1: tumor is confined to the nasopharynx
- T2: tumor extends to soft tissues of the oropharynx and/or nasal fossa
- T2a: without extension to the parapharyngeal region
- T2b: with extension to the parapharyngeal region
- T3: invasion of adjacent bony structures and/or paranasal sinuses
- T4: invasion of any one or more of the following
- intracranial content
- cranial nerves
- infratemporal fossa/masticator space
- hypopharynx
- orbit
Nodal status
- Nx: nodes cannot be assessed
- N0: no evidence of nodal involvement
- N1: unilateral nodal involvement <6cm maximal diameter above supraclavicular fossa
- N2: bilateral nodal involvement <6cm maximal diameter above supraclavicular fossa
- N3
- N3a: >6 cm maximal diameter (unilateral or bilateral)
- N3b: involvement of the supraclavicular fossa
Metastases
- Mx: presence of metastases cannot be assessed
- M0: no evidence of metastases
- M1: distant metastases present
Stages of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
| Stage | T | N | M |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Tis | N0 | M0 |
| I | T1 | N0 | M0 |
| II | T2a | N0 | M0 |
| II | T2b | N0 | M0 |
| III | T3 | N0 | M0 |
| T1 | N1 | M0 | |
| T2 | N1 | M0 | |
| T3 | N1 | M0 | |
| IVA | T4a | N0 | M0 |
| T4a | N1 | M0 | |
| T1 | N2 | M0 | |
| T2 | N2 | M0 | |
| T3 | N2 | M0 | |
| T4a | N2 | M0 | |
| IVB | AnyT | N3 | M0 |
| T4b | AnyN | M0 | |
| IVC | AnyT | AnyN | M1 |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Faizan Sheraz, M.D. [2]