Staging Cervical Cancer

Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. This process is very important because the stage of your cancer will determine your treatment. [11]

The system used to stage cervical cancer is the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) system. In this system, stages are classified using roman numerals 0 through IV (0-4). In general, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. [11] A higher number, such as stage IV (4), means a more serious cancer. All stages (except for stage 0) are further subdivided into smaller groups labeled with letters and numbers.

The FIGO system is primarily based on clinical results rather than surgical results. This means that a doctor’s physical exam and a few other tests that are done in some cases are used to determine the stage of the cervical cancer. If surgery is done, it may show that the cancer has spread more than the doctors thought at first. The new information may change the treatment plan, but it does not change the FIGO stage. [11]

Stage 0: The tumor is carcinoma in situ. This means your cancer is very superficial (only affecting the surface). At this stage, the cancer has not spread past the layer of cells lining the surface of the cervix. [11]

Stage I: The cancer has invaded deeper tissues of the cervix, but not beyond. [11]

Stage II: The cancer has spread beyond the cervix to nearby areas. However, it has not spread past the pelvic area. [11]

Stage III: The lower part of the vagina or the pelvic wall is affected. The cancer may be blocking the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder). [11]

Stage IV: This is the most advanced stage of cervical cancer. The cancer has spread to nearby organs or other parts of the body. [11]

All stages (except for stage 0) are further subdivided into more specific categories labeled with letters and numbers. For instance, stage IVB indicates that the cancer has spread to distant organs beyond the pelvic area, such as the lungs. [11] For more information on the stages of cervical cancer, visit the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org.

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