Cervical Cancer Stages

Cervical Cancer Staging Is Based On:

  • How far has the cancer grown into the cervix?
  • Has the cancer reached nearby structures?
  • Has the cancer spread to the nearby lymph nodes or to distant organs?

Cervical cancer staging is complex and further explanation will be provided by your physician.

 Stage Stage description
I The cancer cells have grown from the surface of the cervix into deeper tissues of the cervix.

Cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Cancer has not spread to distant sites.

IA There is a very small amount of cancer, and it can be seen only under a microscope.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IA1 The area of cancer can only be seen with a microscope and is less than 3 mm (about 1/8-inch) deep.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IA2 The area of cancer can only be seen with a microscope and is between 3 mm and 5 mm (about 1/5-inch) deep.

It not has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IB This includes stage I cancer that has spread deeper than 5 mm (about 1/5 inch) but is still limited to the cervix.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IB1 The cancer is deeper than 5 mm (about 1/5-inch) but not more than 2 cm (about 4/5-inch) in size.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IB2 The cancer is at least 2 cm in size but not larger than 4 cm.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IB3 The cancer is at least 4 cm in size and limited to the cervix.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

II The cancer has grown beyond the cervix and uterus, but hasn’t spread to the walls of the pelvis or the lower part of the vagina.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIA The cancer has grown beyond the cervix and uterus but has not spread into the tissues next to the cervix (called the parametria).

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIA1 The cancer is not larger than 4 cm (about 1 3/5 inches).

It not has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIA2 The cancer is 4 cm or larger.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIB The cancer has grown beyond the cervix and uterus and has spread into the tissues next to the cervix (the parametria).

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

III The cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina or the walls of the pelvis. The cancer may be blocking the ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder).

It might or might not have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIIA The cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina but not the walls of the pelvis.

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIIB The cancer has grown into the walls of the pelvis and/or is blocking one or both ureters causing kidney problems (called hydronephrosis).

It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

It has not spread to distant sites.

IIIC The cancer can be any size.

Imaging tests or a biopsy show the cancer has spread to nearby pelvic lymph nodes (IIIC1) or para-aortic lymph nodes (IIIC2).

It has not spread to distant sites.

IV The cancer has grown into the bladder or rectum or to far away organs like the lungs or bones.
IVA The cancer has spread to the bladder or rectum or it is growing out of the pelvis.
IVB The cancer has spread to distant organs outside the pelvic area, such as distant lymph nodes, lungs or bones.