Part of Cancer staging guidance sheets
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (ICD10 C15-C20, C48.1-2)
Stage grouping
This is the data sheet for TNM 9th edition staging of Gastrointestinal Stromal tumours (ICD10 C15-C20, C48.1-2).
For more detailed information regarding TNM staging, please see pages 129-132 of the UICC TNM 9 book.
Staging criteria for gastric tumours can be applied in primary, solitary omental GISTs. Staging criteria for intestinal tumours can be applied to GISTs in less common sites, such as oesophagus, colon, rectum and mesentery.
Gastric GIST (including primary omental)
|
Stage Group |
T stage |
N stage |
M stage |
Mitotic rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stage IA |
T1, T2 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|
Stage IB |
T3 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|
Stage II |
T1, T2 |
N0 |
M0 |
High |
|
|
T4 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|
Stage IIIA |
T3 |
N0 |
M0 |
High |
|
Stage IIIB |
T4 |
N0 |
M0 |
High |
|
Stage IV |
Any T |
N1 |
M0 |
Any rate |
|
|
Any T |
Any N |
M1 |
Any rate |
Non gastric (small intestine and other sites) GIST
|
Stage I |
T1, T2 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Stage II |
T3 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|
Stage IIIA |
T1 |
N0 |
M0 |
High |
|
|
T4 |
N0 |
M0 |
Low |
|
Stage IIIB |
T2, T3, T4 |
N0 |
M0 |
High |
|
Stage IV |
Any T |
N1 |
M0 |
Any rate |
|
|
Any T |
Any N |
M1 |
Any rate |
TNM clinical classification
T- primary tumour
|
T value |
Description |
|---|---|
|
cTX |
Primary tumour cannot be assessed |
|
cT0 |
No evidence of primary tumour |
|
cT1 |
Tumour 2 cm or less |
|
cT2 |
Tumour more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm |
|
cT3 |
Tumour more than 5 cm but not more than 10 cm |
|
cT4 |
Tumour more than 10 cm in greatest dimension |
N - regional lymph nodes
|
N value |
Description |
|---|---|
|
cNX |
Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed* |
|
cN0 |
No regional lymph node metastasis |
|
cN1 |
Regional lymph node metastasis |
Note
*NX: Regional lymph node involvement is rare for GISTs, so that is cases where the nodal status is not assessed clinically or pathologically could be considered cN0 instead of cNX or pNX
M - distant metastasis
|
M value |
Description |
|---|---|
|
cM0 |
No distant metastasis |
|
cM1 |
Distant metastasis |
TNM pathological classification
The pT and pN categories correspond to the cT and cN categories
G histopathology grading
Grading for GISTs is dependent on the mitotic rate
|
Low mitotic rate |
5 or fewer per 5 mm2 |
|---|---|
|
High mitotic rate |
Over 5 per 5 mm2 |
Last edited: 16 January 2026 3:54 pm
