Day 11: A Month of Teal- Staging Ovarian Cancer

I took the weekend off from posting. I attended the Kaleidoscope Of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation's Morristown, NJ walk on Sunday. It was amazing to see so many people dedicated to raising awareness and funds for research. 

Ovarian Cancer Staging

The staging of ovarian cancer follows an international system called the FIGO (International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology) staging system.  Staging usually occurs at surgery.

Stage I: The cancer is only in the ovaries or fallopian tubes.

Stage II: The cancer involves one or both of the ovaries or fallopian tubes and has spread below the pelvis, or involves peritoneal cancer.

Stage III: The cancer involves one or both of the ovaries or fallopian tubes, or peritoneal cancer. It has spread to the peritoneum outside the pelvis and/or to lymph nodes in the retroperitoneum (lymph nodes along the major blood vessels, such as the aorta) behind the abdomen.

Stage IV: The cancer has spread to organs outside of the abdominal area.

These stages may include subsets , such as Stage IIIB . For complete descriptions please see the Cancer.net page. http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/ovarian-fallopian-tube-and-peritoneal-cancer/stages-and-grades

or this information from the SGO https://www.sgo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/FIGO-Ovarian-Cancer-Staging_1.10.14.pdf
 

Dee

 Every Day is a Blessing! 

OC Awareness Month #9 - Stages

When I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer I really didn't know what all those stages meant. Early stage ? Late Stage? Staging gives an idea of how far the disease has spread from the ovary. Not all cancers are staged the same so it is important to know the staging of your particular disease.

Here is a chart of the stages from the National Cancer Institute.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/ovarianepithelial/HealthProfessional/page1/AllPages#2
This is staging is also know at FIGO ( International Federation of Gynecologists & Obstetricians)staging

Stage
I	Growth limited to the ovaries.
Ia	Growth limited to one ovary; no ascites present containing malignant cells. No tumor on the external surface; capsule intact.
Ib	Growth limited to both ovaries; no ascites present containing malignant cells. No tumor on the external surfaces; capsules intact.
Icb	Tumor either stage Ia or Ib, but with tumor on surface of one or both ovaries, or with capsule ruptured, or with ascites present containing malignant cells, or with positive peritoneal washings.
II	Growth involving one or both ovaries with pelvic extension.
IIa	Extension and/or metastases to the uterus and/or tubes.
IIb	Extension to other pelvic tissues.
IIcb	Tumor either stage IIa or IIb, but with tumor on surface of one or both ovaries, or with capsule(s) ruptured, or with ascites present containing malignant cells, or with positive peritoneal washings.
III	Tumor involving one or both ovaries with histologically confirmed peritoneal implants outside the pelvis and/or positive regional lymph nodes. Superficial liver metastases equals stage III. Tumor is limited to the true pelvis, but with histologically proven malignant extension to small bowel or omentum.
IIIa	Tumor grossly limited to the true pelvis, with negative nodes, but with histologically confirmed microscopic seeding of abdominal peritoneal surfaces, or histologic proven extension to small bowel or mesentery.
IIIb	Tumor of one or both ovaries with histologically confirmed implants, peritoneal metastasis of abdominal peritoneal surfaces, none exceeding 2 cm in diameter; nodes are negative.
IIIc	Peritoneal metastasis beyond the pelvis >2 cm in diameter and/or positive regional lymph nodes.
IV	Growth involving one or both ovaries with distant metastases. If pleural effusion is present, there must be positive

Early stages are I and II, while late stage is III and IV.

After the tissue is biopsied it will also be graded. Grading relates to how abnormal the cells
look.The cells are giving a grade from 1 to 3
Grade 1 - looking more like normal cells
Grade 2 - Somewhere in between
Grade 3 - least normal looking , usually more agressive.

You might hear the terms, well differentiated, moderately differentiated and  poorly differentiated cells used to describe the three grades.


Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!