Viewer Question:
We have been diagnosed as having prostate cancer, which is
in the B1 stage. These stages are A, B, C, and D. Now there is a new stage
system and we are classified as T2A. We would like to obtain the entire new stage
classification. Also, our Primary Care Physician will obtain from us a
PFT and a CXR. We would like to
know what these abbreviations mean before we go to our appointment in order to
have a better understanding of what is going on because our doctors always seem
to be in a rush. We have tried accessing Medical Dictionaries, the AMA
Encyclopedia of Medicine and a nursing manual all to no avail. No doubt it is there but one
needs to know the meaning of the abbreviation before it can be found.
Doctor's Response:
CXR stands for chest x-ray. PFT stands for
pulmonary function testing.
The TNM staging system refers to Tumor, Nodes, Metastasis. The
full explanation is below. A T2a tumor indicates that it involves half of the
prostate or less. At the stage of the workup you describe,
the lymph node
status or possibility of metastatic disease would not be known.
For more information please visit the Prostate Cancer
Center in the Diseases and
Conditions section of MedicineNet.com.
TX Primary tumor cannot be assessed
T0 No evidence of primary tumor
T1 Clinically inapparent tumor not palpable or visible by imaging
T1a Tumor incidental histologic finding in 5% or less of tissue resected
T1b Tumor incidental histologic finding in more than 5% of tissue resected
T1c Tumor identified by needle biopsy (e.g. because of elevated PSA)
T2 Palpable tumor confined within prostate *
T2a Tumor involves half of a lobe or less
T2b Tumor involves more than half of a lobe, but not both lobes
T2c Tumor involves both lobes
T3 Tumor extends through the prostatic capsule
T3a Unilateral extracapsular extension
T3b Bilateral extracapsular extension
T3c Tumor invades seminal vesicle(s)
T4 Tumor is fixed or invades adjacent structures other than seminal vesicles
T4a Tumor invades external sphincter and/or bladder neck and/or rectum
T4b Tumor invades levator muscles and/or is fixed to pelvic wall*
* Note: Tumor found in one or both lobes by needle biopsy, but not palpable or
visible by imaging, is classified as T1 c.
* Note: Invasion into the prostatic apex or into (but not beyond) the prostatic
capsule is not classified as T3, but as T2.
NX Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
NO No regional lymph node metastasis
N1 Metastasis in a single lymph node, 2 cm or less in greatest dimension
N2 Metastasis in a single lymph node, more than 2cm but not more than 5 cm ingreatest dimension, or multiple lymph nodes, none more than 5 cm in greatest
dimension N3 Metastasis in a lymph node more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
MX Presence of distant metastasis cannot be assessed
MO No distant metastasis
M1 Distant metastasis
M1a Non regional lymph nodes
M1b Bone
M1c Other.sites.
Thank you for your question.
Last Editorial Review: 4/4/2001
