The December 2021 CTR Coding Break summarizes the AJCC TNM Staging System: Categories, General Rules for Staging, and Classifications found in the AJCC 8th Edition and described in Chapter 1 – Principles for Cancer Staging.
The AJCC TNM staging for each cancer type is put together by defining the size and extent of cancer for the tumor (T), the number of nearby lymph nodes that have cancer (N), and whether the cancer has spread from the primary tumor to other parts of the body (M). For each of the T,N, and M, there is a set of categories, most often defined by a number defined in each primary site chapter.
Assigning the T,N, and M categories follows general rules described in Chapter 1- Principles for Cancer Staging as well as the site-specific chapters within the AJCC 8th Edition Manual. These general rules apply to the application of T, N, and M categories for anatomic sites and classifications.
TNM Classification describes the points in time of the care of the cancer patient in relation to diagnosis and treatment. In this session, clinical, pathological, and post-therapy staging will be discussed.
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Also, be sure to join us next month for another LIVE CTR Coding Break, keep an eye out for this on our Events page.