TNM staging for bone cancer
TNM stands for Tumour, Node, and Metastasis. It's one of the staging systems for bone cancer. Doctors may also use the number staging system.
The stage of a cancer tells the doctor about its size and whether it has spread to the 
and different parts of the body. It helps your doctor decide on the best treatment for you.
The tests and scans you have to diagnose your cancer give some information about the stage. In primary bone cancer, staging also takes into account how abnormal the cells look under the microscope (the grade).
The TNM staging system on this page is for bone cancers of the bones in the arms and legs, chest and ribs (trunk), head (skull), and face. Bone cancers of the pelvis and back (spine) use different T stages.
Talk to your doctor about the stages of these cancers.
Tumour (T)
Tumour describes the size of the tumour (area of cancer). This is a simplified description of the T stage.
T (tumour) is divided into 3 stages - T1 to T3.
T1 means the tumour is 8 cm or less across.
T2 means the tumour is more than 8 cm across.
T3 means there is more than one area of cancer in the same bone.
Node (N)
Node (N) describes whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
N (node) is divided into 2 stages - N0 and N1.
N0 means there are no cancer cells in lymph nodes close to the tumour.
N1 means there are cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes.
Metastasis (M)
Metastasis (M) describes whether the cancer has spread to a different part of the body.
M (metastasis) is divided into 3 stages - M0, M1a and M1b.
M0 means the cancer has not spread to any other part of the body.
M1a means the cancer has spread to the lung.
M1b means the cancer has spread to other areas of the body apart from the lung.
Treatment
The stage of your cancer helps your doctor to decide which treatment you need. Treatment also depends on:
- your type of bone cancer
- where the cancer is
- if they can remove (resect) the cancer
- your general health and level of fitness
The stage of the cancer and these other factors can also give an idea of your outlook (prognosis).
The main treatments include:
- surgery
- radiotherapy
- chemotherapy
Some people might have a . Or you might have treatment as part of a .
