If a biopsy shows that you have cancer, your doctor needs to learn the grade and stage (extent) of the disease to help you choose the best treatment. A pathologist assigns the grade (1 to 3) to describe how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope.
Staging is a careful attempt to learn whether the tumor has invaded nearby tissues or whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. Cervical cancer spreads most often to nearby tissues in the pelvis, to lymph nodes, or to the lungs. It may also spread to the liver or bones. To learn the extent of the disease, the doctor may order some of the following tests:
- Chest x-ray to see if cancer has spread to the lungs
- Computed Tomography (CT) scan which takes multiple x-ray like pictures and a computer assembles them into highly detailed and focused pictures inside the body. CT scans help detect if cervical has spread to other body areas.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan uses strong magnets and radio waves to create pictures inside the body. MRI scans are useful to determine the cancer’s spread in the pelvis and detect enlarged lymph nodes.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan can detect small clusters of cancerous cells in the body. First, you’ll receive an infusion of radioactive glucose, which collects in cancer cells because cancer cells use glucose faster than normal cells. Then a scanner can detect the radioactive clusters.
Stages of invasive cervical cancer
Invasive cervical cancer is classified into four main stages to describe the extent of disease.
- Stage 1 cervical cancer means the tumor has invaded the cervix beneath the top layer of cells. Cancer cells are found only in the cervix.
- Stage 2 cervical cancer indicates the tumor has spread to the upper part of the vagina. It may extend beyond the cervix into nearby tissues toward the pelvic wall (the lining of the part of the body between the hips). The tumor does not invade the lower third of the vagina or the pelvic wall.
- Stage 3 cervical cancer indicates the tumor extends to the lower part of the vagina. It may also have invaded the pelvic wall. If the tumor blocks the flow of urine, one or both kidneys may not be working well.
- Stage 4 cervical cancer means the tumor has invaded the bladder or rectum. Or, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
- Recurrent cancer. The cancer was treated but has returned after a period of time during which it could not be detected. The cancer may show up again in the cervix or in other parts of the body.
The stage and grade of your cancer two important pieces of information your physician will use to determine the very best treatment options for you.