Stages of cervical cancer and treatment

Staging of cancer describes where the cancer is located, if it has spread, and whether it is affecting other organs of the body. Your doctor may ask you to do some tests to be able to fully stage the cancer.

Stage I: The cancer has spread from the cervix lining into the deeper tissue but is still just found in the uterus. At this stage surgery may be used as the main treatment. Some patients may also be treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Stage II: The cancer has spread beyond the uterus to nearby areas, such as the vagina or tissue near the cervix, but it is still inside the pelvic area. At this stage a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (chemoradiotherapy) and sometimes surgery may be used as the main treatment modality.

Stage III: The tumor involves the lower third of the vagina and/or: has spread to the pelvic wall; causes swelling of the kidney, called hydronephrosis; stops a kidney from functioning; and/or involves regional lymph nodes. Treatment is usually a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

Stage IV: Means the cancer has spread to the bladder or back passage (rectum) or further away. The main treatments are chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy or treatments aimed at symptom control.