Staging: Salivary Glands

Christine M. Glastonbury, MBBS

(T) Primary Tumor		Adapted from 7th edition AJCC Staging Forms.
TNM		Definitions
TX		Primary tumor cannot be assessed
T0		No evidence of primary tumor
T1		Tumor ≤ 2 cm in greatest dimension without extraparenchymal extension^*
T2		Tumor > 2 cm but ≤ 4 cm in greatest dimension without extraparenchymal extension^*
T3		Tumor > 4 cm &/or tumor having extraparenchymal extension^*
T4a		Moderately advanced disease: Tumor invades skin, mandible, ear canal, &/or facial nerve
T4b		Very advanced disease: Tumor invades skull base &/or pterygoid plates &/or encases carotid artery
(N) Regional Lymph Nodes
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
N2		Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, > 3 cm but ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension, or in multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, none > 6 cm in greatest dimension, or in bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, none > 6 cm in greatest dimension
	N2a	Metastasis in a single ipsilateral lymph node, > 3 cm but ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension
	N2b	Metastasis in multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, none > 6 cm in greatest dimension
	N2c	Metastasis in bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, none > 6 cm in greatest dimension
N3		Metastasis in a lymph node, > 6 cm in greatest dimension
(M) Distant Metastasis
M0		No distant metastasis
M1		Distant metastasis
*Extraparenchymal extension is clinical or macroscopic evidence of invasion of soft tissues. Microscopic evidence alone does not constitute extraparenchymal extension for classification purposes.

AJCC Stages/Prognostic Groups	Adapted from 7th edition AJCC Staging Forms.
Stage	T	N	M
I	T1	N0	M0
II	T2	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	T4b	Any N	M0
	Any T	N3	M0
IVC	Any T	Any N	M1