L.H. Sobin - Böcker

The History of the TNM System The TNM System for the c1assification of malignant tumours was developed by Pierre Denoix (France) between the years 1943 1 and 1952. In 1950 the UICC appointed a Committee on Thmour Nomen- clature and Statistics and adopted, as a basis for its work on clini- cal stage c1assification, the general definitions of local extension of malignant tumours suggested by the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO) Sub-Committee on The Registration of Cases of 2 Cancer as weIl as their Statistical Presentation. In 1953 the Committee held a joint meeting with the Interna- tional Commission on Stage-Grouping in Cancer and Presenta- tion of the Results of Treatment of Cancer appointed by the International Congress of Radiology. Agreement was reached on a general technique for c1assification by anatomical extent of dis- ease, using the TNM system. In 1954 the Research Comrnission of the UICC set up a spe- cial Committee on Clinical Stage Classification and Applied Statis- ticsto "pursue studies in this field and to extend the general tech- nique of c1assification to cancer at aIl sites".In 1958 the Committee published its first recommendations for the clinical stage classification of cancers of the breast and 1 Denoix, P.F.: BuH. Inst. Nat. Hyg. (Paris) 1: 1-69 (1944) and 5: 52-82 (1944).

Although this second edition retains the concise format of the first edition, the number of tumours described has increased considerably, especially in the melanocytic, adnexal, fibrous tissue and lymphoid neoplasms. Care has been taken to avoid needless subclassification, so as to limit the expansion of categories to those fulfilling demonstrable histological criteria. The commentaries remain succint whilst including the major diagnostic points, with reference to relevant immunohistochemical features. All the illustrations have been changed since the first edition. Of particular importance is the fact that close collaboration with the authors of the AFIP Atlas of Tumor Pathology on Melanocytic and Non-melanocytic Tumors of the Skin ensures a consistent approach to the classification.