Table I.

Clinical staging according to AJCC/UICC (1997)

Prognostic categories
T – tumor size	Location of the tumor
T1 ≤ 5 cm, T2 > 5 cm	A – superficial, B – deep
N – local lymph nodes	N0 – lack of metastases, N1 – metastases present
M – metastases to distant organs	M0 – lack of metastases, M1 – metastases present
G – histological grade	G1–2 low, G3–4 high
The advanced stages
Stage	G	T	N	M
I	G1–2	T1A–1B, 2A	N0	M0
II	G1–2	T2B	N0	M0
	G3–4	T1A–1B, 2A	N0	M0
III	G3–4	T2B	N0	M0
IV	G1–4	Each T	N1	M0
	G1–4	Each T	Each N	M1
Discussion
I – Low malignancy, MTM < 5 cm (superficial and deep) and > 5 cm (superficial)
II – Low malignancy, MTM > 5 cm (deep) or
– high malignancy, MTM < 5 cm (superficial and deep) and MTM > 5 cm (superficial)
III – High malignancy, MTM > 5 cm (deep)
IV – Metastases (N1 or M1)