| According to the TMN system cancers are the size | | | | - N0: Lymph nodes are not affected |
| of the tumor (T) after the appearance of "daughter | | | | - N1: metastasis in the axillary lymph nodes on the |
| of tumors (metastases) in lymph nodes (N; Latin" | | | | same side as the affected breast, the lymph nodes |
| nodus = knot and divided the occurrence of | | | | can move during the examination by the doctor |
| metastases in other organs (M) . It derived from | | | | - N2: metastasis in the axillary lymph nodes on the |
| each of consequences for individual therapy. | | | | same side as the affected breast, the lymph nodes |
| T = size of the tumor | | | | can be moved during the examination by the doctor, |
| For breast cancer the following classifications are | | | | since they are fused together or with the |
| distinguished: | | | | surrounding tissue |
| - T stage | | | | - N3: metastasis along the internal thoracic artery on |
| - Tx: no assessment of possible tumor | | | | the same side as the affected breast |
| - T0: No evidence of a tumor | | | | M = metastases: |
| - Tis: non-invasive (not in the surrounding tissue | | | | M stage: |
| ingrown) tumor | | | | - Mx: presence of organ metastases not assessable |
| - T1: tumor in greatest dimension no greater than 2 | | | | - M0: no organ metastases detected |
| cm | | | | - M1: metastases in other organs, there |
| - T2: Tumor size 2-5 cm in greatest diameter | | | | Grading: |
| - T3: Tumor larger than 5 cm in greatest dimension | | | | Furthermore, the biological behavior of tumor tissue in |
| - T4: tumor extends into neighboring tissues (eg, | | | | the histological examination will be further explored ( |
| chest muscles, skin or fins) | | | | "Grading"). This can for example inferences about the |
| N = involvement of lymph nodes: | | | | rate of growth of the tumor, or a tendency to |
| N stage | | | | metastasize. It distinguishes the grading stages G1, |
| - Nx: lymph nodes can not be assessed | | | | G2 and G3. |