Superiority of the T and N integer score (TANIS) staging system for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

An alternative to the TNM classification system has been proposed for patients with head and neck cancer. The T and N integer score (TANIS) system adds the integer values of T and N classifications. The TNM and TANIS staging systems were retrospectively evaluated for 186 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (tongue and floor of mouth). The TANIS system was found to better separate the patients into prognostic groups and allowed a more accurate prediction of disease-free survival.