TNM staging for lung carcinoma
| Important tumour information for lung cancer staging | |
| Tumour size (cm) | |
| Distance of tumour from carina (determined by surgeon) | |
| Is the visceral pleura affected? | |
| Is there a pleural effusion? | |
| Does the background lung show atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis and what is the extent? | |
| Which lymph nodes are affected by tumour? | |
| Features of primary tumour (T) | |
| TI | Tumour less than 3 cm, surrounded by lung or unaffected pleura, no atelectasis, obstructive pneumonitis, or extension proximal to a lobar bronchial orifice |
| T2 | Tumour greater than 3 cm, or any size if there is disease in visceral pleura, atelectasis, or obstructive pneumonitis extending to the hilum. Proximal margin of tumour must be > 2 cm from carina. Any atelectasis or obstructive pneumonitis must involve less than the entire lung |
| T3 | Tumour of any size that directly involves the chest wall, diaphragm, or mediastinum. Proximal margin of tumour < 2 cm from carina |
| T4 | Tumour of any size with invasion of mediastinum, or involving heart great vessels, trachea, oesophagus, vertebral body, carina, or malignant effusion |
| Extent of regional lymph nodes | |
| N0 | No metastasis to regional lymph nodes |
| N1 | Metastasis to lymph nodes in the peribronchial oripsilateral hilar, or both |
| N2 | Metastasis to ipsilateral mediastinal or subcarinal lymph nodes |
| N3 | Metastasis to contralateral mediastinal, contralateral hilar, ipsilateral scalene, or supraclavicular lymph nodes |
| Distant metastases | |
| M0 | No distant metastases |
| M1 | Distant metastases present |