Staging & Prognostic Factors Flashcards

In the AJCC staging system, what does the 'N' category specifically describe?

Answer: Regional lymph node involvement

The 'N' category in TNM staging describes the extent of regional lymph node involvement.

A tumor staged as pT2 pN1 cM0 uses which type of staging assessment for the N category?

Answer: Clinical

The lowercase 'c' prefix before M0 indicates a clinical (non-pathologic) assessment was used for that category.

Which prognostic factor is used specifically for breast cancer staging and reflects tumor cell proliferation rate?

Answer: Ki-67 index

Ki-67 index measures the proportion of actively dividing tumor cells and is a key proliferation marker in breast cancer prognosis.

Stage grouping of 'Stage 0' in most AJCC cancer sites refers to which condition?

Answer: In situ carcinoma with no invasion

Stage 0 represents carcinoma in situ, where abnormal cells are present but have not invaded surrounding tissue.

When staging a primary tumor with satellite nodules in the same lobe of the lung, how are those nodules classified in AJCC 8th edition?

Answer: T3 designation

Separate tumor nodule(s) in the same lobe as the primary are classified as T3 in the AJCC 8th edition lung chapter.

What is the purpose of the 'y' prefix in TNM staging (e.g., ypT2)?

Answer: Staging performed after neoadjuvant therapy

The 'y' prefix indicates that the TNM classification was performed after neoadjuvant (preoperative) systemic or radiation therapy.

For colorectal cancer, which Dukes classification corresponds to AJCC Stage III?

Answer: Dukes C

Dukes C corresponds to regional lymph node involvement, which aligns with AJCC Stage III colorectal cancer.