Breast Cancer Staging TNM 8 14

TNM stands for Tumor, Node, Metastasis. It is a system used to describe the extent of cancer in the body.

The tumor size is classified as T1 to T4, where T1 indicates a tumor of 2 cm or less, and T4 means the tumor has spread to the chest wall or skin.

The N indicates the presence and extent of regional lymph node involvement and is classified from N0 (no lymph node involvement) to N3 (metastasis to more extensive lymph nodes).

M stands for metastasis, indicating whether cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. M0 means no distant metastasis, while M1 means metastatic disease is present.

TNM staging helps determine the prognosis and guides treatment decisions by indicating how advanced the cancer is.

Yes, breast cancer can be identified and staged at an early stage (stage 0 or I), which often has a better prognosis.

Yes, each T, N, and M classification has subcategories that provide more specific information about the cancer.

Breast cancer staging may need to be updated based on the response to treatment or if new information arises from imaging studies.

Yes, TNM staging is generally applicable to all types of breast cancer including invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma.

The TNM classification is typically determined by a pathologist based on biopsy results and imaging studies conducted by medical professionals.