Ovarian Cancer Stages
Ovarian Cancer is a cancer that affects the ovaries and unlike other cancers it has a very small chance of displaying symptoms in its early stages. This can only mean that the disease can be identified later on. The gradual movement of the disease from one stage to another is something that creates the need to know the various ovary cancer stages so that you can know at what stage to do what.
There are several ovarian cancer stages and right from the time when the disease has just started to develop, it goes through a metamorphosis of stages until it becomes really severe or extreme. The staging of ovarian cancer is done using the FIGO system. This simply arises from The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the staging makes use of the information that is got after surgery.
Stage I is the first stage which is usually only centralized to within the ovaries. At this stage, the cancer could have affected just one of the ovaries or even both but it is still within the ovaries. Stage IA is where one ovary is involved, there is a capsule that is in place and there is no cancer on the surface of the ovary. At this stage there are also no malignant cells.
The next among the ovarian cancer stages is Stage IB where the capsule is intact too and there is no tumor but there are some negative washings. Stage IC is where the capsule could have been affected in some way and it might have been ruptured. There is also presence of the tumor on the surface of the ovary as well as presence of positive washings.
At Stage II of the ovarian cancer the cancer has spread a little further and it has reached the pelvis a well as any implants. Stage IIA is where the cancer has been implanted onto the fallopian tube or the uterus and evidently there are negative washings. Stage IIB is where the implants are onto the structures of the pelvis as well. Stage IIC is where the pelvis is affected too and there are positive peritoneal washings.
The next stage among the ovarian cancer stages is Stage III where there are little implants just around the pelvis. The cancer is restricted to the pelvis. Stage IIIA is where the microscopic peritoneal cells have gone past the pelvis. Stage IIIB is where the extent of the metastases is about 2cm or more.
Stage IV is the next among the ovarian cancer stages and at this stage, the disease has spread to other organs of the body for instance the liver. At this stage, the cancer has spread further than its original location. The spread of ovarian cancer starts from the ovaries where it goes ahead to spread to the pelvic parts and onto the abdomen.
The cancer never really skips from one stage to another abruptly. It usually follows a trend and right from the time when it has developed up to when it reaches the more severe stages, it goes through some kind of transformation.
Related Topics:
- Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
- Cervical Cancer Stages
- Ovarian Cancer Facts
- Ovarian Cancer Causes
- Ovarian Cancer Definition
- Ovarian Cancer Prevention
- Pancreatic Cancer Stages
- Colon Cancer Stages
- Bone Cancer Stages