The most common method for staging gallbladder cancer is the TNM system. Each category (T, N and M) is assessed and rated. An X is used to denote insufficient information (the condition of the particular factor cannot be adequately assessed).
The stages are defined by three key components:
- Tumor - The tumors are rated on a scale 0-4 where T0 indicates no evidence of the primary tumor expanding into local tissue, and the increasing numbers (T1-T4) correspond to the increasing size/extent of the tumor. Carcinoma in situ, Tis, describes an early cancer that has not gone beyond to the innermost layer of the gallbladder (the epithelium).
- Node - This indicates whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N1) or if there is no evidence of lymph node involved (N0).
- Metastized - Cancer that has spread (metastasized) is indicated by M1. Otherwise, M0 is used if there are no signs of metastases.
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