Endometrial Cancer Staging

The stage of your endometrial cancer reflects how much cancer is in the body.

Stage 0 endometrial cancer

Stage 0 cancer may also be called carcinoma in situ, which means that the abnormal cells are found only in the place where they first formed.

Stage 1 endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer that is classified as stage 1 is an early cancer that is confined to the uterus. Substages identify how far the cancer has grown from the endometrium (inner layer) through the myometrium (the middle, muscle layer) of the uterus.

  • Stage 1A means the cancer remains only in the endometrium, or has grown less than halfway through the myometrium
  • Stage 1B means the cancer has grown more than halfway through the myometrium.

Stage 2 endometrial cancer

Cancers that are stage 2 have spread into the connective tissue of the cervix, the lower portion of the uterus.

Stage 3 endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancers classified as stage 3 have grown beyond the uterus and possibly into nearby lymph nodes. Substages identify the specific areas the cancer has invaded

  • Stage 3A means the cancer has spread to the outer layer of the uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.
  • Stage 3B means the cancer has spread into the vagina or the fat or connective tissue around the uterus.
  • Stage 3C1 means that cancer was found in the nearby, pelvic lymph nodes.
  • Stage 3C2 means that cancer was found in lymph nodes that are farther from the uterus, such as those located at the base of the spine.

Stage 4 endometrial cancer

Cancer that is classified as stage 4 is and advanced cancer that has spread to other organs or distant body areas. Substages identify these areas further:

  • Stage 4A means that the cancer has spread to the bladder, colon or rectum.
  • Stage 4B means the cancer has spread farther to other organs of the abdomen, such as the pancreas, stomach, intestines, liver and gallbladder, or to distant areas such as the lungs or bones.