Tumour (T)
- T1: Tumours are 2 cm or smaller in greatest dimension.
- T2: Tumours are larger than 2 cm but not larger than 4 cm in greatest dimension.
- T3: Tumours are larger than 4 cm in dimension.
- T4: Tumours involve adjacent structures.
- T4a: Tumour invades adjacent structures (cortical bone, deep [extrinsic] muscle of tongue [genioglossus, hyoglossus, palatoglossus, styloglossus], or facial skin).
- T4b: Tumour invades masticator space, pterygoid plates, or skull base and/or encases internal carotid artery.
Node (N)
- N0: No nodal metastasis is present.
- N1: A single ipsilateral node is smaller than 3 cm in greatest dimension.
- N2a: Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node that is larger than 3 cm but not larger than 6 cm in dimension.
- N2b: Multiple ipsilateral nodes are smaller than 6 cm in greatest dimension.
- N2c: Bilateral or contralateral nodes are smaller than 6 cm in greatest dimension. N3: Any node is larger than 6 cm in greatest dimension.
Staging:
|
T1 |
T2 |
T3 |
T4 |
N0 |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
N1 |
III |
III |
III |
IV |
N2 |
IV |
IV |
IV |
IV |
N3 |
IV |
IV |
IV |
IV |