T1C, T2C - What do they mean ?

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We continually see our cancers catagorised like  .... T1C ... 

Does anyone have a link to what constitutes these codes, that define OUR cancer ?

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...     Derrrrr !        Why did I not think of that !

Thanks..

Now I have an idea of what the results for friends means..  ( and what I had )

I will assume that the Wikipedia summary is industry standard..

I can now edit my Signature as T1C duplicates other info..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_cancer_staging

For those who have not see it...

Evaluation of the (primary) tumor ('T')

• TX: cannot evaluate the primary tumor
• T0: no evidence of tumor
• T1: tumor present, but not detectable clinically or with imaging
  • T1a: tumor was incidentally found in less than 5% of prostate tissue resected (for other reasons)
  • T1b: tumor was incidentally found in greater than 5% of prostate tissue resected
  • T1c: tumor was found in a needle biopsy performed due to an elevated serum PSA
• T2: the tumor can be felt (palpated) on examination, but has not spread outside the prostate
  • T2a: the tumor is in half or less than half of one of the prostate gland's two lobes
  • T2b: the tumor is in more than half of one lobe, but not both
  • T2c: the tumor is in both lobes
• T3: the tumor has spread through the prostatic capsule (if it is only part-way through, it is still T2)
  • T3a: the tumor has spread through the capsule on one or both sides
  • T3b: the tumor has invaded one or both seminal vesicles
• T4: the tumor has invaded other nearby structures

It should be stressed that the designation "T2c" implies a tumor which is palpable in both lobes of the prostate. Tumors which are found to be bilateral on biopsy only but which are not palpable bilaterally should not be staged as T2c.

For others - This and the associated information on Gleason etc. (same article), clearly define your biopsy results.

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Fairwind is correct but left out one part. There are two staging mechanisms ~ clinical and post operative. the list above is according to the staging manual put out by the American Joint Comission on Cancer or AJCC. When you see a staging on a pathology report you will usually see in parenthesis AJCC2007 or AJCC2002. Every 5 years AJCC will update the tables if necessary. The last major change for prostate cancer was in 2002. The previous AJCC1997 had a stage T3C. You will sometimes see that here. It is still valid it's just that AJCC no longer uses T3C and today T3B is the same thing.

Also worth noting is that post surgery also has a class of stages. They are preceded by a "p". For example I was T1C before surgery and after surgery I was pT3b. The P indicates "Prostate" and indicates that the entire prostate was examined. You will never find a T1 post surgery as those are clinical classifications. This is the primary reason that almost everyone will have a new staging after surgery.

Just a note...

Tony