What are the stages of cervical cancer?
Staging is based on a physical examination, medical scans, and biopsies. Doctors assign the cancer stage by evaluating the tumor and assessing whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
When and how does my doctor determine the stage of my cervical cancer?
It is necessary to identify the stage of cervical cancer as it allows a woman to determine the most appropriate treatment options. Staging is intended to determine the degree to which the cancer has spread and whether it has reached surrounding tissues or distant organs.
A 4-stage system is the most common way to stage cervical cancer. These include:
- What is stage 0 cervical cancer?
Precancerous cells are present in this stage of cervical cancer.
- What is stage I cervical cancer?
Through the surface, cancer cells have spread into deeper cervical tissues including the uterus and surrounding lymph nodes.
- What is stage II cervical cancer?
The cancer has now spread beyond the cervix and uterus, but not as far as the pelvic walls or lower vagina. This can also affect nearby lymph nodes.
- What is stage III cervical cancer?
Cancer cells are found in the lower part of the vagina or pelvic walls and may be blocking the ureters. It may or may not affect nearby lymph nodes.
- What is stage IV cervical cancer?
The cancer affects either the bladder or the rectum and spreads out of the pelvis and may or may not affect the lymph nodes. It will spread to distant organs later in stage 4 including the liver, lungs, bones, and lymph nodes.
- What is recurrent cervical cancer?
The cancer has been treated, but it has returned after a time in which it could not be identified. The cancer may reappear in the cervix or in other body parts.
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