Stages of Oral Cancer

  • Oral Cancer
    Oral cancer refers to cancers of the head and neck. It includes cancer of the lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, salivary glands, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and pharynx. Brain cancer falls in a different category.  
Submitted by Content Loader on 12 October 2015
Oral Cancer Stages

Stages of oral cancer

TNM Staging of oral cancer.

T stands for tumour size.  

  • TX- Primary tumour cannot be assessed
  • T0- No evidence of primary tumour
  • Tis -Carcinoma in situ
  • T1- Tumour 2 cm or less in greatest dimension
  • T2 -Tumour more than 2cm but not more than 4cm in greatest dimension
  • T3 -Tumour more than 4cm in greatest dimension
  • T4 - Tumour invades adjacent structures, eg, through jaw bone, jaw nerve, floor of mouth, skin of face.

N stands for lymph node involvement.

  • NX: Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
  • N0: No regional lymph node metastasis
  • N1: Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, 3cm or less in greatest dimension
  • N2: Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, more than 3cm but not more than 6cm in greatest dimension;or in multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, none more than 6cm in greatest dimension;or in bilateral or contra lateral lymph nodes, none more than 6cm in greatest dimension
    • N2a: Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, more than 3cm but not more than 6 cm in greatest dimension
    • N2b: Metastasis in multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, none more than 6cm in greatest dimension
    • N2c: Metastasis in bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, none more than 6cm in greatest dimension
  • N3: Metastasis in a lymph node more than 6cm in greatest dimension

M stands for metastasis.

  • MX: Distant metastasis cannot be assessed
  • M0: No distant metastasis
  • M1: Distant metastasis

Staging

Stage 0

Tis

N0

M0

Stage I

T1

N0

M0

Stage II

T2

N0

M0

Stage III

T1, T2

T3

N1

N0, N1

M0

M0

Stage IVA

T1, T2, T3

T4a

N2

NO, N1, N2

M0

M0

Stage IVB

Any T

T4b

N3

Any N

M0

M0

Stage IVC

Any T

Any N

M1

 

Changed
28/Apr/2025
Community
Cancer
Condition
Oral Cancer

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