A 55-year-old smoker presents with a 2 cm supraglottic carcinoma without cord fixation and a single ipsilateral 2.5 cm lymph node. According to AJCC 8th edition TNM staging, this is classified as:
- A T1N1M0 — Stage III
- B T2N2bM0 — Stage IVA
- C T1N2aM0 — Stage IVA
- D T2N1M0 — Stage III ✓
Correct answer: D. T2N1M0 — Stage III
Explanation
A supraglottic tumor involving more than one subsite or extending to glottis without cord fixation is T2. A single ipsilateral node 2.5 cm (≤3 cm) is N1. T2N1M0 supraglottic carcinoma is Stage III. N2a would be a single ipsilateral node 3–6 cm. The AJCC 8th edition for laryngeal carcinoma maintains the T and N criteria similar to the 7th edition for this scenario.
Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.