Pharynx Sagittal view of the face and neck depicting the subdivisions of the pharynx as described in the text. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Anatomical sites and subsites of the oropharynx. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx Anatomical sites and subsites of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and esophagus. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx For nasopharynx, T1 tumors are defined as tumor confined to the nasopharynx (left) whereas T2 extends to parapharyngeal tissue. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T1 tumors of the nasopharynx are also defined as tumor extending to the oropharynx and/or nasal cavity without parapharyngeal extension. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumors of the nasopharynx are defined as any nasopharynx tumor with parapharyngeal extension. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T3 tumors of the nasopharynx involve bony structures and/or paranasal sinuses. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4 tumors of the nasopharynx are defined as a tumor with intracranial extension (A) and/or involvement of cranial nerves (B), hypopharynx, orbit, or with extension to the infratemporal fossa/masticator space. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4 tumors of the nasopharynx are defined as a tumor with intracranial extension (A) and/or involvement of cranial nerves (B), hypopharynx, orbit, or with extension to the infratemporal fossa/masticator space. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T1 tumors of the oropharynx are 2 cm or less in greatest dimension. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumors of the oropharynx measure more than 2 cm but not more than 4 cm. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T3 tumors of the oropharynx are more than 4 cm in greatest dimension or have extension to lingual surface of epiglottis. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4a tumor of the oropharynx is described as moderately advanced local disease, a tumor that invades the larynx, extrinsic muscle or tongue, medial pterygoid, hard palate, or mandible. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4b tumor of the oropharynx is described as very advanced local disease, a tumor that invades lateral pterygoid muscle, pterygoid plates, lateral nasopharynx, or skull base or encases carotid artery. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T1 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the pyriform sinus. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T1 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the posterior wall. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T1 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the post-cricoid area. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the posterior wall of the hypopharynx. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T2 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the post-cricoid area. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the pyriform sinus and the aryepiglottic fold. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the pyriform sinus and the posterior wall. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T2 tumor of the hypopharynx with involvement of the pyriform sinus and the post-cricoid area. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T3 tumor of the hypopharynx greater than 4 cm in diameter and with involvement of the posterior wall. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T3 tumor of the hypopharynx with fixation of the hemilarynx and invasion of the pyriform sinus, aryepiglottic fold, and posterior wall. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T3 tumor of the hypopharynx with fixation of the hemilarynx with invasion of the pyriform sinus and post-cricoid area. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

T3 tumor of the hypopharynx with invasion of the esophagus. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4a tumor of the hypopharynx which is moderately advanced local disease, with invasion of the hyoid bone, thyroid/cricoid cartilage, thyroid gland, or central compartment soft tissue. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx T4b tumor of the hypopharynx, which is very advanced local disease, with invasion of the prevertebral fascia, encases carotid artery, or that involves mediastinal structures. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx N1 for nasopharynx cancer is defined as unilateral metastasis in cervical lymph node(s), 6 cm or less in greatest dimension, above the supraclavicular fossa, and/or unilateral or bilateral, retropharyngeal lymph nodes, 6 cm or less in greatest dimension. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx N2 for nasopharynx cancer is defined as bilateral metastasis in cervical lymph node(s), 6 cm or less in greatest dimension, above the supraclavicular fossa. Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx N3 for nasopharynx cancer may be categorized as N3a (left) for metastasis in a lymph node(s) greater than 6 cm in dimension and/or N3b (right) metastatic to the supraclavicular fossa. . Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer

Pharynx Shaded triangular area corresponds to the supraclavicular fossa used in staging carcinoma of the nasopharynx. . Compton, C.C., Byrd, D.R., et al., Editors. AJCC CancerStaging Atlas, 2nd Edition. New York: Springer, 2012. ©American Joint Committee on Cancer