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Definition

The absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis in a person with cancer, as represented by a code.

Components

Data Element (this item)

Representation

This representation is based on the value domain for this data element, more information is available at " N stage (UICC TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, 7th ed) code X[XX] ".
Data Type String
Format X[XX]
Maximum character length 3
Values
Value Meaning Start Date End Date
Supplementary Values 997 Not applicable
998 Unknown
999 Not stated/inadequately described

Comments

Guide for use:

Record the absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis of the cancer.

TNM staging applies to solid tumours excluding brain tumours.

Choose the lower (less advanced) N category when there is any uncertainty.

The current edition of the AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) Cancer Staging Manual provides an equivalent and alternative source of N stage codes.

Staging classification systems other than the TNM classification system are recorded separately.

Comments:
Cancer stage is an important determinant of treatment and prognosis, and is used to evaluate new treatments and analyse outcomes. Survival analysis is adjusted by stage at diagnosis and distribution of cancer cases by type and stage.

References

Sobin LH, Gospodarowicz MK, Wittekind C (Editors) 2009. International Union Against Cancer (UICC): TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours, 7th edition. Wiley-Blackwell

American Joint Committee on Cancer 2010. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, 7th edition. New York: Springer

American College of Surgeons 2002. Facility Oncology Registry Data Standards (FORDS), 2009 revision. Commission on Cancer
This content Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare material. Attribution provided as required under the AIHW CC-BY licence.

Related content

Relation Count
Input in Derivations 0
Output in Derivations 0
Inclusion in Data Set Specifications 2
Inclusion in Data Distributions 0
As a numerator in an Indicator 0
As a denominator in an Indicator 0
As a disaggregation in an Indicator 0