Stage Grouping for Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Stage grouping for medullary thyroid carcinoma is the same as for papillary or follicular carcinoma in people older than age 45.

Stage Grouping for Anaplastic/Undifferentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

All anaplastic thyroid cancers are considered as stage IV, reflecting the poor prognosis of this type of cancer.

Stage IVA: T4a, any N, M0: Tumor of any size and has grown beyond the thyroid gland to invade nearby tissues of the neck and may or may not have spread to local neck nodes but not to distant sites.

Stage IVB: T4b, Any N, M0: Tumor of any size has grown either back to the spine or into nearby large blood vessels, may or may not have spread to lymph nodes, but has not spread to distant sites.

Stage IVC: Any T, any N, M1: Tumor is any size and may or may not have spread to lymph nodes, but it has spread to distant sites.

Thyroid Carcinoma Stage Grouping

Papillary or Follicular Under 45 Years

Stage I Any T Any N M0

Stage II Any T Any N M1

Papillary or Follicular 45 Years and Older

Stage I T1 N0 M0

Stage IIT2 N0 M0

Stage III T3 N0 M0, T1 N1a M0, T2 N1a M0, or T3 N1a M0

Stage IVA T4a N0 M0, T4a N1a M0, T1 N1b M0, T2 N1b M0, T3 N1b M0, or T4a N1b M0

Stage IVB T4b Any N M0

Stage IVC Any T Any N M1

Medullary Carcinoma

Stage I T1 N0 M0

Stage II T2 N0 M0

Stage III T3 N0 M0, T1 N1a M0, T2 N1a M0, T3 N1a M0

Stage IVA T4a N0 M0, T4a N1a M0, T1 N1b M0, T2 N1b M0, T3 N1b M0, T4a N1b M0

Stage IVB T4b Any N M0

Stage IVC Any T Any N M1

Anaplastic Carcinoma All anaplastic carcinomas are considered Stage IV

Stage IVA T4a Any N M0

Stage IVB T4b Any N M0

Stage IVC Any T Any N M1