Cervical cancer stages
Staging is a system your doctor uses to record a cancer’s size, aggressiveness, and growth to determine the most effective therapy for each patient. More specifically, the process of staging helps doctors determine:
- The size of the tumor
- Whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and tissues
- Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
To determine accurate staging, you may have to undergo a pelvic exam under anesthesia, cystoscopy (examination of the lining of the bladder with a camera), proctoscopy (examination of the inside of the rectum with a scope), or a radiologic scan (IVP-intravenous pyelogram, CT scan, or PET scan). Your doctor will talk with you about test results and let you know which stage your cancer aligns with. By understanding the stage of your cancer, you can make informed decisions about your treatment.
There are four stages of cervical cancer, from Stage I through Stage IV.
The cancer has spread into the cervix but has not gone any farther. This stage is divided into the following groups:
Stage IA: Microscopic cancer
- Stage IA1: It’s less than 3 millimeters deep and less than 7 millimeters wide.
- Stage IA2: It’s between 3 and 5 millimeters deep, but still less than 7 millimeters wide.
Stage IB: Visible cancer
- Stage IB1: It’s no bigger than 4 centimeters in size.
- Stage IB2: It’s larger than 4 centimeters in size.
The cancer has spread beyond the uterus, but not to the pelvic wall or to the lower third of the vagina. Stage II is divided into the following groups:
Stage IIA: The cancer has not spread to the parametria (the tissues next to the cervix).
- Stage IIA1: It’s less than 4 centimeters in size.
- Stage IIA2: It’s more than 4 centimeters in size.
Stage IIB: The cancer has spread to the parametria.
- Stage IIB1: It’s less than 4 centimeters in size.
- Stage IIB2: It’s more than 4 centimeters in size.
The cancer has spread to the pelvic wall or to the lower third of the vagina. Stage III is further divided into these groups:
- Stage IIIA: The cancer has spread to the lower third of the vagina. It has not spread to the wall of the pelvis.
- Stage IIIB: The cancer has spread to the pelvic wall. It may block one or both tubes that drain urine from the kidneys (called the ureters).
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as the bladder, rectum, or lungs. Stage IV is further divided in these ways:
- Stage IVA: The cancer has spread to nearby organs.
- Stage IVB: The cancer has spread to distant organs, such as the lungs.