<Li> T describes the size of the original (primary) tumour and whether it has invaded nearby tissue, </Li> <Li> N describes nearby (regional) lymph nodes that are involved, </Li> <Li> M describes distant metastasis (spread of cancer from one part of the body to another). </Li> <P> The TNM staging system for all solid tumours was devised by Pierre Denoix between 1943 and 1952, using the size and extension of the primary tumor, its lymphatic involvement, and the presence of metastases to classify the progression of cancer . it is a classification of the anatomical extent of disease . It has gained wide international acceptance for many solid tumour cancers, but is not applicable to leukaemia and tumours of the central nervous system (CNS). </P>

When using the tnm system for staging what does the m stand for