What are the Recognised Stages of Cervical Cancer?

Cervical Cancer Stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4

If you or someone you know is facing a cervical cancer diagnosis, understanding the stages can help you feel more informed and prepared. Doctors classify cervical cancer into stages based on how far the cancer has spread. These stages, from Stage 0 to Stage IV, guide treatment decisions and predict outcomes. Knowing what each stage means gives you a clearer picture of the journey ahead and empowers you to ask the right questions and explore your options confidently.

Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)

This is a precancerous stage where abnormal cells are growing on the surface of the cervix but have not yet spread into the underlying tissues.

Stage I Cervical Cancer

At this stage, cervical cancer is detected in the cervix only. Healthcare professionals divide stage I into two stages, IA and IB, depending on the size and spread of the tumour into surrounding tissue.

Stage IA

• Professionals subdivide this stage into Stage IA1 and Stage IA2. The first one refers to a health condition when a tiny amount of tumour is found in someone's body in the cervix. Due to its small size, doctors can only see it with a microscope. When considering size, it may be 3 millimetres or less.
• Stage IA2 refers to the health condition when the tumour size exceeds 3 millimetres but does not exceed 5 millimetres.

Stage IB

• This phase is further divided into IB1, IB2, and IB3 based on the tumour’s size and extent of invasion. IB1 refers to a tumour measuring 2 centimetres or less, with an invasion deeper than 5 millimetres. IB2 describes a tumour larger than 2 centimetres but not exceeding 4 centimetres. In IB3, the tumour grows beyond 4 centimetres. These classifications help doctors determine the best treatment approach and understand how much the cancer has progressed within the cervix.

Stage II Cervical Cancer

When cervical cancer reaches tissue surrounding the uterus or upper two-thirds of the vagina, doctors call this condition stage II. Medical professionals subdivide this into two stages depending on the extent of cancer spread in the body.

Stage IIA

• It is further subdivided into Stage IIA1 and Stage IIA2. When cancer has spread from the cervix through the upper portion of the vagina, professionals classify it as Stage IIA. At this point, the tumour has not invaded the tissues surrounding the uterus. However, professionals divide this stage further into different stages depending on tumour size.
• Stage IIA1 denotes the condition when the tumour is 4 centimetres or smaller in size. Stage IIA2 denotes the cervical cancer stage when the tumour diameter is greater than 4 cm.

Stage IIB

• When doctors notice that cancer cells have spread their reach from the cervix to the tissue surrounding the uterus, they classify it as Stage IIB.

Stage III Cervical Cancer

In stage III, cervical cancer spreads its reach to the lower third of the vagina. It can extend its reach to the pelvic wall and can cause severe kidney issues while affecting the lymph nodes. Healthcare professionals divide this stage into three stages: IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC, depending on the extent of the cancer within the body.

Stage IIIA

• At this point, cancer is detected in the lower third of the vagina but has not reached the pelvic wall.

Stage IIIB

• At this stage, cancer has affected the pelvic wall, and in some cases, the tumour size has increased significantly. It may become large enough to block one or both ureters. It can sometimes lead to severe kidney complications, such as enlargement or kidney failure.

Stage IIIC

• Doctors divided this stage into sub-stages, such as IIIC1 and IIIC2, for better classification. They classify these stages considering the involvement of the lymph nodes in cancer.

Stage IV Cervical Cancer

At this stage, it has exceeded the pelvis area, affected the lining of the bladder or rectum, or involved other body parts. Medical professionals subdivide stage IV into two stages, depending on the location where the cells have spread.

In stage IV, cervical cancer has spread beyond the pelvis or has spread to the lining of bladder or rectum, or has to spread with other parts of the body.

Stage IVA

• When the report detects the cancer has spread to nearby pelvic body parts, such as the bladder or rectum, doctors declare it as Stage IVA.

Stage IVB

• When other areas of the body, including the liver, lungs, bones, or distant lymph nodes, are affected by cancer, then doctors declare it as Stage IVB.

Note that doctors consider stage IV as metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer happens when cancer cells travel through the blood or lymphatic system and form tumours in the other parts of the body.  For an instance, if cervical cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are cervical cancer cells. This is called metastatic cervical cancer rather than lung cancer. While Stage IV cervical cancer is generally not curable, it is often treatable. Treatments can help control the cancer's growth, relieve symptoms, and improve quality of life. The prognosis depends on the extent and location of the spread. The prime treatment options are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Doctors frequently use a combination of treatments (such as chemotherapy combined with radiation, or chemotherapy combined with targeted drugs) as this multimodal approach is often more effective than a single therapy alone.

Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Recurrent cervical cancer is cancer that has recurred or come back after treatment. The Cancer may come back in the cervix or as metastatic tumours in other parts of the body. Tests will be needed to determine where the cancer has returned in the body, in case it has spread and how far. Treatment type for recurrent cervical cancer will depend on how far it has spread. 

Also Read:

→ Symptoms of 1st Stage of Breast Cancer

→ Symptoms of Stage 1 Cervical Cancer

→ Symptoms of Stage 1 Lung Cancer

→ Symptoms of Stage 1 Prostate Cancer

→ Symptoms of Stage 3 Breast Cancer