In nursing school, you’ll need to know the systems used for tumor grading and staging to classify cancer progression.


⭐️TNM Staging SystemThis system stages the tumor’s state and progression based on:
T = Tumor (Size + extent into tissues)N = Nodes (Spread into lymph nodes)M = Metastasis (Spread to other body parts)

🟣 T = Tumor Size & Extent
Tx – Cannot be assessed/ measured
T0 – No evidence of tumor
Tis – Tumor still in situ (inside original site)
T1-T4 – Measures size/extent (higher number = larger/more growth)

🔵 N = Lymph Node Involvement
Nx – Cannot be assessed/ measured
N0 – No evidence in lymph nodes
N1-N3 – Measures # + location of affected nodes (higher number = more lymph nodes involved)

🟢 M = Metastasis (Spread)
Mx – Cannot be assessed/ measured (not commonly used anymore but still could be on exams)
M0 – No evidence of metastasis
M1 – Cancer has spread to other tissues

🔬 Tumor Grading (Biopsy Classification)This classifies how abnormal cancer cells appear and how quickly they may grow:

Grade I – Well-differentiated (resembles normal cells, slower growth)
Grade II – Moderately differentiated
Grade III – Poorly differentiated
Grade IV – Undifferentiated (highly abnormal, fast-growing, aggressive)

💬 Let me know if you found this helpful in the comments! #nursingstudents