Table 1.
TNM classification system
| T—primary tumour |
|---|
| TX—primary tumour cannot be assessed |
| T0—no evidence of primary tumour |
| T1—tumour <7 cm in greatest dimension, limited to the kidney |
| T1a—tumour <4 cm in greatest dimension, limited to the kidney |
| T1b—tumour >4 cm but <7 cm in greatest dimension |
| T2—tumour >7 cm in greatest dimension, limited to the kidney |
| T2a—tumour >7 cm but <10 cm in greatest dimension |
| T2b—tumours >10 cm limited to the kidney |
| T3—tumour extends into major veins or perinephric tissues but not into the ipsilateral adrenal gland or beyond Gerota's fascia |
| T3a—tumour grossly extends into the renal vein or its segmental (muscle-containing) branches or invades perirenal and/or renal sinus fat (peripelvic) but not beyond Gerota's fascia |
| T3b—tumour grossly extends into the VC below the diaphragm |
| T3c—tumour grossly extends into VC above the diaphragm or invades the wall of the VC |
| T4—tumour invades beyond Gerota's fascia (including contiguous extension into the ipsilateral adrenal gland) |
| N—regional LNs |
| NX—regional LNs cannot be assessed |
| N0—no regional LN metastasis |
| N1—regional LN metastasis |
| M—distant metastasis |
| M0—no distant metastasis |
| M1—distant metastasis |
| TNM stage grouping |
| Stage I—T1 N0 M0 |
| Stage II—T2 N0 M0 |
| Stage III—T3 N0 M0 |
| T1, T2, T3 N1 M0 |
| Stage IV—T4 Any N M0 |
| Any T Any N M1 |
LN, lymph node; VC, vena cava.