What Are the Stages of Getting Cervical Cancer?

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cervical cancer treatment in the United States accounts for over $2 billion worth of spending each year. Understanding the stages of cervical cancer highlights the importance of prevention and early detection.

The Facts

• Cervical cancer typically occurs when a sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus infection remains in your body, eventually causing normal cells in your cervical area to mutate and become cancerous.

Early Stages

• The first stage of cervical cancer, stage 0 (also called carcinoma in situ), takes place when abnormal cells develop in the inside lining of your cervix. Stage I of cervical cancer occurs when cancer actually has formed but remains limited to your cervix.

Later Stages

• The later stages of cervical cancer are characterized by the progressive movement of cervical cancer to other areas of your body, including parts of your vagina (stage II), your pelvic wall (stage III), and eventually your bladder, rectum or abdomen (stage IV).

Time Frame

• Cervical cancer progresses slowly during the early stages, often taking years between your initial HPV infection and stage I cancer. Since symptoms don't occur until your body is in the later stages of cervical cancer, regular Pap tests are an essential tool for prevention and early detection.

Considerations

• According to the National Cancer Institute, your doctor determines the stage of cervical cancer that your body has progressed to through staging, a process during which he conducts a range of tests such as X-rays, CAT scans and ultrasounds.