categorical value specification pathologic distant metastases stage for colon according to AJCC 7th edition Chris Stoeckert, Helena Ellis A categorical value specification that is a pathologic finding about one or more characteristics of colon cancer following the rules of the TNM AJCC v7 classification system as they pertain to distant metastases. TNM pathologic distant metastasis findings are based on clinical findings supplemented by histopathologic examination of one or more tissue specimens acquired during surgery.