Cervical cancer stage is classification of cervical cancer based on how far the cancer has spread. The process to decide cervical cancer stage is called staging. Clinician make staging from information which gathered from physical examination and some diagnostic tests. Staging of cervical cancer is based on size of the tumor, depth of the invasion of the tumor, and metastasis (cervical cancer spread to the lymph nodes or distant organs).
Cervical cancer stage is classified based on FIGO System of staging. This system classifies cervical cancer in stages 0 through IV. FIGO system of staging is based on clinical staging rather than surgical staging. This means that the extent of cervical cancer is examined by the doctor’s physical examination and a few other diagnostic tests that are done in some cases, such as cystoscopy and proctoscopy.
Cervical cancer stage is important in choosing treatment and predict prognosis. Let’s take a look on cervical cancer stage based on FIGO that i found at cancer.org
Stage 0: The malignant cells are very superficial (only affecting the surface) are found only in the layer of cells lining the cervix, and they have not grown into (invaded) deeper tissues of the cervix. This stage is also called carcinoma in situ (CIS) or cervical intraepithelial neoplasis (CIN) grade III.
Stage I: In this stage the cervical cancer has invaded the cervix, but it has not spread anywhere else.
Stage IA: This is the earliest form of stage I. There is a very small amount of cancer, and it can be seen only under a microscope.
- Stage IA1: The area of invasion is less than 3 mm (about 1/8-inch) deep and less than 7 mm (about 1/4-inch) wide.
- Stage IA2: The area of invasion is between 3 mm and 5 mm (about 1/5-inch) deep and less than 7 mm (about 1/4-inch) wide.
Stage IB: This stage includes Stage I cancers that can be seen without a microscope. This stage also includes cervical cancers that can only be seen with a microscope if they have spread deeper than 5 mm (about 1/5 inch) into connective tissue of the cervix or are wider than 7 mm.
- Stage IB1: The cervical cancer can be seen but it is not larger than 4 cm (about 1 3/5 inches).
- Stage IB2: The cervical cancer can be seen and is larger than 4 cm.
Stage II: In this stage, the cervical cancer has grown beyond the cervix and uterus, but hasn’t spread to the walls of the pelvis or the lower part of the vagina.
- Stage IIA: The cancer has not spread into the tissues next to the cervix (called the parametria). The cancer may have grown into the upper part of the vagina.
- Stage IIB: The cancer has spread into the tissues next to the cervix.
Stage III: The cervical cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina or the pelvic wall. The cancer may be blocking the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder).
- Stage IIIA: The cancer has spread to the lower third of the vagina but not to the pelvic wall.
- Stage IIIB: The cancer has grown into the pelvic wall. If the tumor has blocked the ureters (a condition called hydronephrosis) it is also a stage IIIB.
Note: In the alternate staging system by the American Joint Committee on Cancer, stage IIIB is defined by the fact that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the pelvis.
Stage IV: This is the most dangerous stage of cervical cancer. The cancer has spread to nearby organs or other parts of the body.
- Stage IVA: The cancer has spread to the bladder or rectum, which are organs close to the cervix.
- Stage IVB: The cancer has spread to distant organs beyond the pelvic area, such as the lungs.
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