Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer on the head and neck (not on the eyelid)

(… non-MEH-luh-NOH-muh skin KAN-ser ...)
The tumor (1) is larger than 4 centimeters, or cancer has spread to tissue covering the nerves below the dermis, or has spread below the subcutaneous tissue, or has spread to the bone and the bone has minor damage. Cancer may have also spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (2) is 4 centimeters or smaller. Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller.
More Information
Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (1); drawing shows (a) an inset showing that the tumor is larger than 4 centimeters and that 4 centimeters is about the size of a walnut. Also shown is cancer spreading through the epidermis to (b) tissue covering the nerves below the dermis; (c) below the subcutaneous tissue; and (d) bone.Enlarge this image in new window
Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (1). The tumor is (a) larger than 4 centimeters; or cancer has spread to (b) tissue covering the nerves below the dermis; or (c) below the subcutaneous tissue; or (d) the bone and the bone has minor damage. Cancer may have spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node (not shown).
Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (2); drawing shows a primary tumor on the face and cancer in one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor. The top inset shows that the tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller and that 4 centimeters is about the size of a walnut. The bottom inset shows that the lymph node with cancer is 3 centimeters or smaller and that 3 centimeters is about the size of a grape.Enlarge this image in new window
Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (2). The tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller. Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms