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Endometrial Cancer Health Centre
Diagnosis |
The Stages of
Endometrial Cancer
Staging is used to describe the size of a tumour and whether a patient's cancer has spread. Knowing the stage of your cancer can help you and your doctor choose the treatment that is most appropriate for you. The stage is determined by examining tissue removed during an operation.
The main system used to stage endometrial cancer, which was approved by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), classifies the cancer as Stage I, Stage II, Stage III or Stage IV.
Stage I: The cancer is limited to the body of the uterus.
| IA – |
tumour limited to the endometrium |
| IB – |
tumour invades less than one half of the muscular wall of the uterus |
| IC – |
tumour invades the outer half of the muscular wall of the uterus |
Stage II: The cancer has spread from the body of the uterus to the cervix.
| IIA – |
tumour involves only the mucosal lining of the cervix |
| IIB – |
tumour invades into the stroma or underlying wall of the cervix |
Stage III: The cancer has spread beyond the uterus, but not to the rectum or bladder.
| IIIA – |
tumour spreads to the tissue surrounding or on either side of the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries, or the peritoneal washings (done at the time of surgery) are positive for cancer cells |
| IIIB – |
tumour extends into the vagina |
| IIIC – |
tumour spreads into the pelvic, groin or para-aortic nodes |
Stage IV: The cancer has spread beyond the pelvis to other parts of the body.
| IVA – |
cancer has spread to the mucosa (inner surface) of the urinary bladder or the rectum |
| IVB – |
tumour has spread to liver, lung or bones |
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