Table 1 Classification criteria of the 7th and 8th editions of the UICC/AJCC staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma
7th edition | 8th edition | |
|---|---|---|
T category | ||
T0 | No tumor identified, but EBV-positive cervical node involvement | |
T1 | Nasopharynx, oropharynx or nasal cavity | Nasopharynx, oropharynx, nasal cavity without parapharyngeal involvement |
T2 | Parapharyngeal extension | Parapharyngeal space and/or adjacent soft tissue involvement (medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid, prevertebral muscles) |
T3 | Bony structures and/or paranasal sinuses | Bony structures at skull base, cervical vertebra, pterygoid structures, and/or paranasal sinuses |
T4 | Intracranial extension and/or cranial nerves, hypopharynx, orbit or infratemporal fossa/masticatory space* | Intracranial extension, involvement of cranial nerves, hypopharynx, orbit, parotid gland and/or extensive soft tissue infiltration beyond lateral surface of lateral pterygoid |
N category | ||
N0 | None | None |
N1 | Unilateral cervical and/or unilateral or bilateral retropharyngeal node(s), ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension, above supraclavicular fossa | Unilateral cervical and/or unilateral or bilateral retropharyngeal node(s), ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension, above caudal border of cricoid cartilage |
N2 | Bilateral cervical node(s), ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension, above supraclavicular fossa | Bilateral cervical node(s), ≤ 6 cm in greatest dimension, above caudal border of cricoid cartilage |
N3 | N3a > 6 cm in greatest dimension, above supraclavicular fossa | Unilateral or bilateral cervical node(s), > 6 cm in greatest dimension, below caudal border of cricoid cartilage |
N3b in supraclavicular fossa | ||
Clinical stage | ||
I | T1N0M0 | T1N0M0 |
II | T1N1M0, T2N0-1M0 | T1N1M0, T2N0-1M0 |
III | T1-2N2M0, T3N0-2M0 | T1-2N2M0, T3N0-2M0 |
IV | IVA: T4N0-2M0 | T4N0-2M0, T0-4N3M0 |
IVB: any T1-4N3M0 | ||