STAGING MUCOSAL MELANOMA
When all surgical and any imaging tests have been completed and pathology reports have been received the doctors will try to figure out if the cancer has spread, and if so, how far. This process is called staging. It helps determine how serious the cancer is and how best to treat it. Doctors also use a cancer’s stage when talking about prognosis and survival statistics. A preliminary clinical stage is assigned after the physical examination and initial biopsy. The final pathology report determines the pathologic stage and helps to determine the treatment options.
The staging of mucosal melanoma follows the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours.
T: Primary Tumour
T3= Mucosal disease
T4a = Involvement of the deep soft tissue, cartilage or overlying skin
T4b= Very advanced disease
N: Regional lymph nodes
NX= Regional Lymph nodes cannot be assessed
N0= No regional lymph nodes metastasis
N1= Regional lymph nodes metastasis present
M: Metastasis
M0= No distant metastasis present
M1= Distant metastasis present
Vaginal and anorectal melanoma follow a different staging system:
- Stage I= Clinically localised disease
- Stage II= Regional nodal involvement
- Stage III= Distant metastatic involvement