Abstract: Tumor deposit (TD) can be detected in various malignant tumors, especially in colorectal cancer, where they are considered an invasive boundary with important histopathological features. The 8th edition of the TNM staging system has confirmed the potential prognostic value of TD as a qualitative variable. However, there are still many aspects to explore, such as the impact of TD counting on patient prognosis, the impact of TD shape and size, and how to organically integrate the status and quantity of TD with the status and quantity of positive lymph nodes to update the feasibility of TNM staging. This article provides a detailed and in-depth discussion on the current issues. This study aimed to summarize the evolution of their origin and definition, discuss their prognostic value, and provide new ideas for addressing the current drawbacks and controversies of TNM staging.