Understanding Your Stage of Ovarian Cancer
The stage of your cancer is a way doctors describe how deep and how far the cancer has spread. Ovarian cancer is staged using the AJCC and FIGO system. AJCC stands for American Joint Committee on Cancer. FIGO stands for International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. This system defines cancers by Roman numerals 0 through IV. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. The higher the number, the more the cancer has spread. These are the stages of ovarian cancer and their definitions. Be sure to ask your doctor to help explain your cancer’s stage to you.
Stage I
Cancer is in one or both of the ovaries and has not spread. Stage I is further divided into 3 stages.
Stage IA. Cancer is in a single ovary and has not spread onto the outer surface of the ovary. Doctors have not found cancer cells in cells in the abdomen or pelvis.
Stage IB. Cancer is in both ovaries and has not spread to their outer surfaces. Doctors have not found cancer cells in cells from the abdomen or pelvis.
Stage IC. The cancer is present in one or both ovaries, and one of these 3 facts is also true.
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Cancer is on the outer surface of at least one of the ovaries.
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The outer wall of a fluid-filled tumor, called a cyst, has ruptured.
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No cancer cells have been found in cells from the abdomen or pelvis.
Stage II
Cancer is in one or both ovaries and has grown onto or into other pelvic organs. These might include the uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, sigmoid colon, or rectum. Stage II is further divided into 3 stages.
Stage IIA. The cancer has spread onto or into the uterus or the fallopian tubes, or both.
Stage IIB. The cancer has spread onto or grown into the tissue within the pelvis.
Stage IIC. The cancer has spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, or other tissues within the pelvis.
Stage III
The cancer is in one or both ovaries. Also, one or both of these things has occurred.
Stage III is further divided into 3 stages.
Stage IIIA. Cancer is visible in one or both ovaries. In addition, cancerous cells are found in the abdominal lining but the cancer there can’t be seen. The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IIIB. Cancer is in one or both ovaries, and there are small, visible cancerous deposits (less than 2 cm across) in the abdomen. Cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IIIC. Cancer is in one or both ovaries and one or both of these cases is true.
Stage IV
The cancer has spread outside the pelvic region to distant sites such as the inside of the liver, the lungs, or other organs.
Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Cancer has returned after treatment.