Stages of Cervical Cancer
After cervical cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the cervix or to other parts of the body. Options for treating cervical cancer depend chiefly on the stage of disease — the size of the cancer, the depth of invasion, and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Stage 0 or “in situ”
Stage 0 describes cancer that has only been found in the layer of cells lining the cervix. The cancer has not invaded the deeper tissues of the cervix.
Stage I
This stage describes cancer that has spread from the lining of the cervix into the deeper connective tissue of the cervix. Stage I cancer is still confined to the uterus.
Stage IA: This is the earliest form of stage I cancer. Only a small amount of cancer is visible upon microscopic examination.
– Stage IA1: The area of invasion is less than 3 millimeters (approximately 1/8 inch) deep and less than 7 millimeters (approximately 1/3 inch) wide.
– Stage IA2: The area of invasion is between 3 mm (millimeters) and 5 mm (approximately 1/5 inch) deep, and less than 7 mm (approximately 1/3 inch) wide.
Stage IB – This stage includes tumors that can be seen without a microscope. It also includes tumors that cannot be seen without a microscope but that are more than 7 millimeters wide and have penetrated more than 5 millimeters of connective cervical tissue.
– Stage IB1 : Tumor that is no bigger than 4 centimeters.
– Stage IB2 : Tumor that is bigger than 4 centimeters. Tumor has spread to organs and tissues outside the cervix but is still limited to the pelvic area.
Stage II
Cancer has spread beyond the cervix but not to the pelvic wall or to the lower third of the vagina.
- Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to the upper part of the vagina. The lower third of the vagina has not been affected.
- Stage IIB: In this stage, cancer has spread to tissue near the cervix. This tissue is called parametrial tissue.
Stage III
This stage indicates that cancer has spread to the lower portion of the vagina. It could have also spread to the pelvic wall in this stage.
- Stage IIIA: This stage includes cancer that has spread to the lower third of the vagina but has not spread to the pelvic wall.
- Stage IIIB: This stage includes cancer that extends to the pelvic wall and/or blocks urine flow to the bladder.
Stage IV
This is the most advanced stage of cervical cancer. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
- Stage IVA: This stage includes cancer that has spread to areas close to the cervix, such as the bladder or rectum.
- Stage IVB: This stage of cervical cancer is not considered curable. In this stage, cancer has spread to distant areas of the body, like the lungs.
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Categories: abdomen, Cancer, Cervical, Diagnosis, growth, health, Stages Tags: abdomen, Cancer, Cells, Cervical Cancer, Cervix, Diagnosis, Females, Four stages, health, Stages, Tissues, Women
Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer
Doctors recommend that women help reduce their risk of cervical cancer by having regular Pap tests. A Pap test is a simple test used to look at cervical cells. Pap tests can find cervical cancer or abnormal cells that can lead to cervical cancer. To perform a Pap test, a health professional uses a spatula, brush, or cotton swab to collect cells from the cervix The narrow, lower end of the uterus (womb). and cervical canal. The cells are then “smeared” on a slide, preserved with a fixative, stained, and sent to a laboratory for microscopic analysis by a cytopathologist.
If the Pap test results show some problems, then your doctor will perform these tests :
Cone Biopsy
A cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed. The cone biopsy is also a treatment, and can completely remove many precancers and early cancers. More than 90 percent of cervical cancers can be halted with this technique without further treatment. Tissue is removed from the area between the ectocervix and the endocervix. It includes two methods :
- LEEP : A loop electro surgical excision procedure (LEEP) is a procedure done under local anesthesia to remove tissue from the cervix. A LEEP uses an electrically charged wire loop to remove a tissue sample.
- Cold knife cone biopsy : The physician uses a surgical scalpel or laser (intense, focused light beam) to remove abnormal cervical tissue. It is done under general anesthesia.
Colposcopy
The colposcope combines a bright light with a magnifying lens to make tissue easier to see. It is not inserted into the vagina. A colposcopy is usually done in the doctor’s office or clinic. If colposcopy reveals abnormal areas on the cervix, the physician will order a biopsy.
Endocervical Curretage
After the anasthesia is given, a narrow instrument called a curette is inserted into the endocervix and cells are taken.
Dilation And Curettage (D&C)
During a “D&C,” the physician enlarges the cervix (dilation) and scrapes the inside of the uterus and cervical canal (curettage) to remove tissue for microscopic analysis.
Cervicography
It examines a photographic image of the cervix. Cervicography may clarify abnormal Pap test results in women.