What Are The Cervical Cancer Stages?

There are five basic categories of cervical cancer stages. Some of these categories are further divided into separate sub levels in order to further classify how each level of each stage of cancer is determined. These stages go from 0-IV from the lowest or earliest stage to the highest or most advanced stage.

Stage 0

In this stage of cervical cancer, cells are only on the surface of the cervix and have not infected deeper tissues. This is the earliest stage of cervical cancer and is often commonly referred to as carcinoma in situ.

Stage I

This stage is divided into two sub levels which are also divided into additional sub levels. Each sub level indicates new developments in relation to the cervical cancer in question. In this stage the cancer cells have infected the cervix but have not spread past the cervix to other areas.

• Stage IA

In the earliest cases of stage IA cervical cancer can only be seen with the use of a microscope. In the early parts of this stage the affected area is usually a depth of less than 1/8 of an inch and a width of less than ¼ of an inch however by the end of this stage the depth may grow up to 1/5 of an inch in depth.

• Stage IB

In this stage cervical cancer has grown enough to be seen without the aid of a microscope and depth may now be in excess or 1/5 of an inch. By the end of this stage the cancer may grow to be as much as 1 ¾ of an inch or larger however in the early parts of this stage it is generally smaller.

Stage II

In the third of the cervical cancer stages cancer may have spread to nearby areas but still has not progressed beyond the pelvic area. In the early parts of this stage cancer may have spread to the upper portion of the vagina however the lower portion is still unaffected. By the end of this stage cancer may spread to the tissues close to the cervix known as the parametrial tissue.

Stage III

In the beginning of stage III cancer has most likely spread to include the lower part of the vagina and as by the end of this stage may also reach the pelvic wall and block urine flow to the bladder.

Stage IV

In the last of the cervical cancer stages cancer has started to spread beyond the pelvic region to include other areas of the body. This is cervical cancer at its most advanced stage and in most cases is considered incurable. Some of the areas of the body that cancer may have spread to by the end of this stage include the lungs, kidneys and other distant parts of the body.

In order to prevent cervical cancer from reaching this point it is important to maintain regular gynecological exams that screen for abnormalities in the cervical cells and report any usual symptoms to your doctor right away.