Stages of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is a disease that affects a woman's reproductive organs. Cervical cancer develops in the lower portion of the uterus and can spread to other parts of the body. The stages of cervical cancer are important because they help a doctor to determine what course of action to take against the cancer, once it has been diagnosed. Each stage describes how advanced the disease is, with Stage 0 meaning the cancer is in its infancy and Stage IV meaning the cancer has spread elsewhere in the woman's body.

Stage 0

• Abnormal cells have been discovered in the inner lining of the cervix during Stage 0. These cells may eventually develop into cancer and invade the tissues close by. This stage is also called carcinoma in sutu.

Stage I

• Cancer has formed in Stage I cervical cancer. This stage is divided into stages IA and IB, the former describing microscopic cancer and the latter meaning the cancer is still small but potentially visible without a microscope.

Stage II

• Cancer has advanced outside of the cervix itself in Stage II but has not made it to the wall of the pelvis or into the lower portion of the vagina. This stage is further subdivided according to the cancer's effects on nearby tissues.

Stage III

• In Stage III, the cervical cancer has advanced to the lower third of a woman's vagina. It may have also gone into the pelvic wall and is capable of affecting the kidneys.

Stage IV

• The final stage of cervical cancer is Stage IV. The cancer has invaded parts of the body such as the bladder and rectum and perhaps organs such as the liver and lungs.