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).

Head and Neck Tumours.- Lip and Oral Cavity.- Pharynx.- Larynx.- Maxillary Sinus.- Salivary Glands.- Thyroid Gland.- Digestive System Tumours.- Oesophagus.- Stomach.- Colon and Rectum.- Anal Canal.- Liver.- Gall Bladder.- Extrahepatic Bile Ducts.- Ampulla of Vater.- Pancreas.- Lung Tumours.- Tumours of Bone and Soft Tissues.- Bone.- Soft Tissue.- Skin Tumours.- Carcinoma of Skin.- Melanoma of Skin.- Breast Tumours.- Gynaecological Tumours.- Cervix Uteri.- Corpus Uteri.- Ovary.- Vagina.- Vulva.- Urological Tumours.- Prostate.- Testis.- Penis.- Urinary Bladder.- Kidney.- Renal Pelvis and Ureter.- Urethra.- Ophthalmic Tumours.- Carcinoma of Eyelid.- Malignant Melanoma of Eyelid.- Carcinoma of Conjunctiva.- Malignant Melanoma of Conjunctiva.- Malignant Melanoma of Uvea.- Retinoblastoma.- Sarcoma of Orbit.- Carcinoma of Lacrimal Gland.- Brain Tumours.- Hodgkin's Disease.- Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.- Paediatric Tumours.- Nephroblastoma (Wilms' Tumour).- Neuroblastoma.- Soft Tissue Sarcomas - Paediatric.