More about staging cervical cancer

Stage I (1)

The cancer cells are on the surface of the cervix and have not invaded the deep tissue of the cervix.

Stage IA: The cancer growth is very small.

• Stage IA1 The cancer is less than 3mm deep.
• Stage IA2 The cells are 3–5mm.

Stage IB: The cancer has grown into the tissues of the cervix but has not spread beyond.

• Stage IB1 The cancer is more than 5mm deep but less than 2cm in total size.
• Stage IB2 The cancer measures between 2 and 4cm.
• Stage IB3 The cancer measures 4cm or more.

Stage II (2)

The cancer has started to spread beyond the cervix to nearby tissues.

Stage IIA The cancer has spread into the upper part of the vagina but has not spread up into the uterus. 

• Stage IIA1 The cancer is less than 4cm in size
• Stage IIA2 The cancer is more than 4cm in size.

Stage IIB Cancer cells have spread to the tissues at the side of the cervix, but have not grown into the wall of the pelvis.

Stage III (3)

In this stage, the cancer has spread further away from the cervix. It has moved into the lower part of the vagina and to the side wall of the pelvis.

• Stage IIIA The cancer has spread to the lower third of the vagina but not the pelvic wall.
• Stage IIIB The tumour has spread to the side wall of the pelvis. When this happens, it can block the tubes that drain the kidneys (ureters).
• Stage IIIC The tumour has spread to pelvic and abdominal lymph nodes.

Stage IV (4)

In this stage, the cancer has spread to other body organs (metastasis).

• Stage IVA The cancer has spread to nearby organs such as the bladder or back passage (rectum).
• Stage IVB The cancer has spread to distant organs, such as the lungs.