Question:medium
A gum tumor measures 5 cm in dimension with contralateral lymph node enlargement of 2 cm. There is no distant metastasis. What is the stage of the tumor?
A gum tumor measures 5 cm in dimension with contralateral lymph node enlargement of 2 cm. There is no distant metastasis. What is the stage of the tumor?
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A 5 cm primary is T3; a contralateral node under 6 cm is N2c; no distant spread is M0.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- T3N2M0
- T2N2M0
- T1N2M0
- T3N3M0
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Read the tumor size against the T scale. Oral cavity primaries are sized as T1 ($\leq$ 2 cm), T2 ($\leq$ 4 cm) and T3 ($\gt $ 4 cm). A 5 cm gum lesion crosses the 4 cm line, so the primary is T3.
Step 2: Place the node on the N scale. The key detail is that the involved node is on the opposite (contralateral) side. Any contralateral or bilateral node up to 6 cm is classified as N2 (specifically N2c). A 2 cm contralateral node is therefore N2.
Step 3: Confirm distant spread. No distant metastasis is reported, which is M0. N3 is reserved for nodes over 6 cm, so it does not apply to a 2 cm node.
Step 4: Assemble the stage. Putting the three values together gives T3, N2, M0.
\[\boxed{\text{T3N2M0}}\]
Step 2: Place the node on the N scale. The key detail is that the involved node is on the opposite (contralateral) side. Any contralateral or bilateral node up to 6 cm is classified as N2 (specifically N2c). A 2 cm contralateral node is therefore N2.
Step 3: Confirm distant spread. No distant metastasis is reported, which is M0. N3 is reserved for nodes over 6 cm, so it does not apply to a 2 cm node.
Step 4: Assemble the stage. Putting the three values together gives T3, N2, M0.
\[\boxed{\text{T3N2M0}}\]
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