A 55-year-old male smoker presents with hoarseness for 8 months. Laryngoscopy reveals a right true vocal cord lesion crossing the anterior commissure with normal cord mobility. CT shows no cartilage invasion and no nodes. According to AJCC 8th edition, this is staged as:

• A T1a N0 M0
• B T1b N0 M0 ✓
• C T2 N0 M0
• D T3 N0 M0

Explanation

In AJCC 8th edition glottic larynx staging, T1a is tumor limited to one vocal cord with normal mobility. T1b is tumor involving both vocal cords (or crossing the anterior commissure) with normal mobility. Since this lesion crosses the anterior commissure and mobility is preserved, it is T1b N0 M0 (Stage I). T2 requires supraglottic or subglottic extension or impaired cord mobility.

Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.