Table 2.

TNM esophageal cancer

T: Primary tumor:
Tx: It can not be evaluated
T0: No evidence of primary tumor
Tis: High-grade dysplasia (intra-epithelial neoplasia noninvasive)
T1: Tumor invades own lamina, muscularis mucosae and submucosa:
T1a: Tumor invades own lamina or muscularis mucosae
T1b: Tumor invades the submucosa
T2: Tumor invades the muscularis
T3: Tumor invades the adventitia
T4: Tumor invades adjacent structures:
T4a: Tumor invades resectable pleura, pericardium, or diaphragm
T4b: Unresectable tumor that invades other adjacent structures: aorta, vertebral body, trachea, etc.
N: Regional lymph nodes:
Nx: They can not be evaluated
N1: Metastasis in 1-2 regional lymph nodes
N2: Metastasis in 3-6 regional lymph nodes
N3: Metastasis in 7 or more regional lymph nodes
M: Distant metastasis:
M0: None
M1: There are distant metastases

Modified from AJCC 2010[29].