TNM staging for soft tissue sarcoma

Primary tumor (T)
TX	Primary tumor cannot be assessed
T0	No evidence of primary tumor
T1	Tumor 5 cm or less in greatest dimension^*
T1a	Superficial tumor
T1b	Deep tumor
T2	Tumor more than 5 cm in greatest dimension^*
T2a	Superficial tumor
T2b	Deep tumor
Regional lymph nodes (N)
NX	Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
N0	No regional lymph node metastasis
N1^¶	Regional lymph node metastasis
Distant metastasis (M)
M0	No distant metastasis
M1	Distant metastasis
Histologic grade (G)^Δ
GX	Grade cannot be assessed
G1	Grade 1
G2	Grade 2
G3	Grade 3
Anatomic stage/prognostic groups
Stage IA	T1a	N0	M0	G1, GX
	T1b	N0	M0	G1, GX
Stage IB	T2a	N0	M0	G1, GX
	T2b	N0	M0	G1, GX
Stage IIA	T1a	N0	M0	G2, G3
	T1b	N0	M0	G2, G3
Stage IIB	T2a	N0	M0	G2
	T2b	N0	M0	G2
Stage III	T2a, T2b	N0	M0	G3
	Any T	N1	M0	Any G
Stage IV	Any T	Any N	M1	Any G

Note: cTNM is the clinical classification, pTNM is the pathologic classification.

* Superficial tumor is located exclusively above the superficial fascia without invasion of the fascia; deep tumor is located either exclusively beneath the superficial fascia, superficial to the fascia with invasion of or through the fascia, or both superficial yet beneath the fascia.
¶ Presence of positive nodes (N1) in M0 tumors is considered Stage III.
Δ The French National Federation of the Centers for the Fight Against Cancer (FNCLCC) System preferred.

Used with the permission of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), Chicago, Illinois. The original source for this material is the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Seventh Edition (2010) published by Springer New York, Inc.

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