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Colorectal cancer clinico-pathological stage

Definition

Invasive colorectal cancer clinico-pathological stage is defined into four summary groups (Stages I-IV) based on the pathological TNM staging system:

Stage T N M
Unknown No information provided No information provided No information provided
Inadequately staged Inadequate information provided Inadequate information provided Inadequate information provided
I T1-T2 N0 M0
II T2-T4 N0 M0
III T1-T4 N1-N2 M0
IV Any T Any N M1

The TNM staging system uses the letters 'T' to represent the tumour, 'N' to represent regional lymph node involvement and 'M' to represent distant metastases, with a numeric subscript (not subscripted in the table above) to indicate the degree of dissemination. For example, T1N0M0 designates a small localised tumour, T2N1M0 is a larger primary tumour that has extended to regional nodes, and T4N3M3 is a very large legion involving regional nodes and distant sites.

Colorectal cancer is considered to have reached at least Stage III if there is any lymph node involvement, and at Stage IV if there are any distant metastases.

Comments

Context:
Colorectal cancer research and data analysis.

References

Harris P, Nagy S, Vardaxis N (editors) 2010. Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health Professions, 2nd Australian and New Zealand Edition. NSW: Mosby Elsevier page 275.
This content Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare material. Attribution provided as required under the AIHW CC-BY licence.

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