Cervical Cancer Stage

Staging is a process to find out how far the cancer has spread. Determining the stages of cervical cancer is a crucial part of the treatment as depending on a stage treatment is often decided. A staging system classifies the disease in four stages stage 0, stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and stage 4.

Cervical Cancer Stages
Stage 0 or carcinoma in the situ (CIS) - Cancer cells in this cervical cancer stage are found only in the layer of cells that line the cervix. This is a very superficial stage where cancer has not spread to other deeper tissues of the cervix.
Stage 1 cervical cancer - In this stage the cancer has spread in the deeper cells of cervix but has not spread anywhere else.

This stage is further divided into stage IA and stage IB depending on the area of invasion. If the area of invasion is less than 3 mm deep or less than 7 mm wide then it is stage IA1 and if the area of invasion is between 3 mm - 5 mm deep and less than 7 mm wide then it is stage IA2. Stage IB includes the cancers that can be seen without microscopes and the cancers that have spread deeper than 5 mm and wider than 7 mm into the connective tissues of the cervix. Stage IB1 cancer is not larger than 4 cm and can be seen with naked eyes and stage IB2 can also been seen and is larger than 4 cm
Stage 2 cervical cancer - The cancer in this stage has spread beyond the cervix and uterus but not reached to the lower part of vagina or walls of the pelvis. This stage is also divided into stage IIA and stage IIB. In stage IIA the cancer may have spread to the upper parts of the vagina but have not spread to the parametria (tissues next to cervix). In stage IIB the cancer has spread to parametria.
Stage 3 cervical cancer - In this stage the cancer has spread to the walls of the pelvis or in the lower part of vagina and can also block the urethras. In stage IIIA the cancer has not spread to the pelvic wall but has spread to the lower third of the vagina. In stage IIIB the cancer has also spread in the pelvic wall. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or if the tumor blocks the urethras then it is also a stage IIIB cancer.
Stage 4 cervical cancer - This is the most advanced stage where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body or nearby organs. In stage IVA the cancer has spread to organs that are close to cervix that is the bladder or rectum. In stage IVB the cancer has spread to organs beyond the pelvic area, like lungs.

Submitted on January 16, 2014