Which statement describes N1 in TNM staging?

Which statement describes N1 in TNM staging?

• A. Metastasis in 1-3 regional lymph nodes (depending on cancer type).
• B. No regional lymph node involvement.
• C. Metastasis in 4-9 regional lymph nodes.
• D. Distant metastasis to distant organs.

Answer: (A)

N describes involvement of regional lymph nodes near the primary tumor. N1 specifically means cancer has spread to a small number of regional lymph nodes, typically 1 to 3, with the exact threshold sometimes varying by cancer type. If there are no regional lymph node metastases, that’s N0. Involvement of more nodes (often 4–9) is N2, and extensive nodal spread can be N3, depending on the cancer. Distant metastasis is categorized as M, not N. So the statement about 1–3 regional lymph nodes best describes N1.

N describes involvement of regional lymph nodes near the primary tumor. N1 specifically means cancer has spread to a small number of regional lymph nodes, typically 1 to 3, with the exact threshold sometimes varying by cancer type. If there are no regional lymph node metastases, that’s N0. Involvement of more nodes (often 4–9) is N2, and extensive nodal spread can be N3, depending on the cancer. Distant metastasis is categorized as M, not N. So the statement about 1–3 regional lymph nodes best describes N1.