Primary tumor (T)
• TX: Primary tumor cannot be assessed
• T0: No evidence of primary tumor
o Ta: Papillary noninvasive carcinoma
• Tis: Carcinoma in situ
• T1: Tumor invades subepithelial connective tissue
• T2: Tumor invades the muscularis
• T3: (For renal pelvis only) Tumor invades beyond muscularis into peripelvic fat or the renal parenchyma
• T3: (For ureter only) Tumor invades beyond muscularis into periureteric fat
• T4: Tumor invades adjacent organs or through the kidney into perinephric fat
Regional lymph nodes (N)*
• NX: Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed
• N0: No regional lymph node metastasis
• N1: Metastasis in a single lymph node, 2 cm or less in greatest dimension
• N2: Metastasis in a single lymph node, more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm in greatest dimension; or multiple lymph nodes, none more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
• N3: Metastasis in a lymph node more than 5 cm in greatest dimension
* [Note: Laterality does not affect the N classification.]
Distant metastasis (M)
• MX: Distant metastasis cannot be assessed
• M0: No distant metastasis
• M1: Distant metastasis
AJCC stage groupings
Stage 0a
• Ta, N0, M0
Stage 0is
• Tis, N0, M0
Stage I
• T1, N0, M0
Stage II
• T2, N0, M0
Stage III
• T3, N0, M0
Stage IV
• T4, N0, M0
• Any T, N1, M0
• Any T, N2, M0
• Any T, N3, M0
• Any T, any N, M1
