Staging Ovarian Cancer

Staging is the process of assessing whether the cancer has spread and how far it has spread. The stage of your cancer, along with the general state of your health and whether or not you plan to have children, will help determine the treatment best for you. Staging is done by combining information from imaging tests with the results of a surgical exam done during a laparotomy.

Numbered stages are used to describe the extent of the cancer and whether it has spread (metastasized) to more distant organs. Generally, there are four stages used to describe the extent of ovarian cancer.

Stage I: The disease is limited to the ovary.

Stage II: The cancer has spread beyond the ovaries, but is limited to the pelvis (below the navel). This may include the uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, sigmoid colon or rectum.

Stage III: The cancer has spread beyond the ovaries, but is limited to the pelvis and abdominal cavity (excluding the liver). This may include the lining of the abdomen and the lymph nodes in the abdomen.

Stage IV: The cancer has spread to the liver or organs outside the abdomen.

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