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Table 2 TNM (8th Edition) and FIGO (2018) Classification of cervical cancer (from refs. 26, 31)

From: Role of MRI in staging and follow-up of endometrial and cervical cancer: pitfalls and mimickers

TNM

FIGO

Description

Tx

 

Primary tumor cannot be assessed

T0

 

No evidence of primary tumor

Tis

 

Preinvasive carcinoma

T1

I

The carcinoma is strictly confined to the cervix (extension to the uterine corpus should be disregarded)

 T1a

IA

Invasive carcinoma that can be diagnosed only by microscopy, with maximum depth of invasion < 5 mma

 T1a1

IA1

Measured stromal invasion depth of < 3 mm

 T1a2

IA2

Measured stromal invasion depth ≥ 3 mm and < 5 mm

 T1b

IB

Invasive carcinoma with measured deepest invasion of ≥ 5 mm (greater than Stage IA), lesion limited to the cervix uterib

 T1b1

IB1

Invasive carcinoma with measured deepest stromal invasion of ≥ 5 mm, and greatest dimension of < 2 cm

 T1b2

IB2

Invasive carcinoma with greatest dimension of ≥ 2 cm and < 4 cm

-

IB3d

Invasive carcinoma with greatest dimension of > 4 cm

T2

II

The carcinoma invades beyond the uterus, but has not extended into the lower third of the vagina or to the pelvic wall

 T2a

IIA

Involvement limited to the upper two-thirds of the vagina without parametrial invasion

 T2a1

IIA1

Invasive carcinoma with greatest dimension of < 4 cm

 T2a2

IIA2

Invasive carcinoma with greatest dimension of ≥ 4 cm

 T2b

IIB

With parametrial involvement but not up to the pelvic wall

T3

III

The carcinoma involves the lower third of the vagina and/or extends to the pelvic wall and/or causes hydronephrosis or nonfunctioning kidney and/or involves pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph nodesc

 T3a

IIIA

The carcinoma involves the lower third of the vagina, with no extension to the pelvic wall

 T3b

IIIB

Extension to the pelvic wall and/or hydronephrosis or nonfunctioning kidney (unless known to be due to another cause)

Nd

IIICd

Involvement of pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph nodes, irrespective of tumor size and extent (with r and p notations)c

IIIC1d

Pelvic lymph node metastasis only

IIIC2d

Para-aortic lymph nodes metastasis

T4

IV

The carcinoma has extended beyond the true pelvis or has involved (biopsy proven) the mucosa of the bladder or rectum (the presence of bullous edema is not sufficient to classify a case as Stage IV)

IVA

Spread to adjacent pelvic organs

M1

IVB

Spread to distant organs

  1. When in doubt, the lower staging should be assigned
  2. aImaging and pathology can be used, when available, to supplement clinical findings with respect to tumor size and extent in all stages
  3. bThe involvement of vascular/lymphatic spaces does not change the staging. The lateral extent of the lesion is no longer considered
  4. cThe notations of r (imaging) and p (pathology) are added to indicate the findings used to assign a case as Stage IIIC. For example, if imaging indicates pelvic lymph node metastasis, the stage allocation would be Stage IIIC1r, whereas if confirmed by pathologic findings, the stage would be Stage IIIC1p. The type of imaging modality or pathology technique used should always be documented
  5. dThe revised FIGO classification was recently published (October 2018). TNM (8th Edition) does not include classification for the new FIGO groups IB3, IIIC1, and IIIC2. TNM defines only regional lymph nodes, with N0 (i+) indicating isolated tumor cells in regional lymph node(s) no greater than 0.2 mm, and N1 indicating regional lymph node metastasis