Cervical cancer develops very slowly from abnormal cell changes in the cervix. This type of cancer can affect people of all ages.
Cervical cancer stages
The stage of cervical cancer refers to its size and whether it has spread beyond the area of the body where it first started. Knowing the extent of the cancer helps the doctors decide on the most appropriate treatment for you.
An illustration of the cervix
Cervical cancer is divided into four main stages. Each stage then has further sub-divisions. Your doctors may also use the following names to describe the stage of the cancer:
- Early-stage cervical cancer – this usually includes stages 1A to 1B1.
- Locally advanced cervical cancer – this usually includes stages 1B2 to 4A.
- Advanced-stage or metastatic cervical cancer – this usually means stage 4B.
If the cancer comes back after initial treatment, this is known as recurrent cancer.
Cervical cancer stage 1
The cancer cells are only within the cervix.
Stage 1 can be further divided into:
Stage 1A
The cancer can only be seen with a microscope or colposcope.
Stage 1A1
The cancer is 3mm or less deep. It is 7mm or less wide.
Stage 1A2
The cancer is more than 3mm deep but no more than 5mm deep. It is 7mm or less wide.
Stage 1B
The cancer is larger than stage 1A but still confined to the cervix.
Stage 1B1
The cancer is no larger than 4cm.
Stage 1B2
The cancer is larger than 4cm.
Cervical cancer stage 2
The cancer has spread into the upper part of the vagina or the tissues next to the cervix.
Stage 2 can be further divided into:
Stage 2A
The cancer has spread into the upper part of the vagina.
Stage 2A1
The cancer is no larger than 4cm.
Stage 2A2
The cancer is larger than 4cm.
Stage 2B
The cancer has spread into the tissues next to the cervix.
Cervical cancer stage 3
The cancer has spread to the lower part of the vagina, or the tissues at the sides of the pelvic area (called the pelvic sidewall). Stage 3 can be further divided into:
Stage 3A
The cancer has spread into the lower part of the vagina.
Stage 3B
The cancer has spread through to the pelvic sidewall or is pressing on the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder (ureters). If the tumour is pressing on a ureter, urine may build up in the kidney.
Cervical cancer stage 4
The cancer has spread to the bladder or bowel or beyond the pelvic area.
Stage 4 can be further divided into:
Stage 4A
The cancer has spread to nearby organs, such as the bladder and bowel.
Stage 4B
The cancer has spread to organs further from the cervix, such as the lungs, liver or bone.
About our information
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our cervical cancer information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk
Marth C, et al. on behalf of the ESMO Guidelines Committee. Cervical cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Annals of Oncology. 2017. 28(s4): iv72-iv83. Available at www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(19)42148-0/pdf
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Menopause. Quality standard (QS143). 2017. Available at www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs143
Farthing AJ and Ghaem-Maghami S on behalf of the Rotal Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). Fertility Sparing Treatments in Gynaecological Cancers. 2013. Available at www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/scientific-impact-papers/sip_35.pdf
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Reviewers
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Senior Medical Editor, Professor Nick Reed, Consultant Clinical Oncologist.
Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.
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