Ovarian cancer (staging)

The most commonly adopted staging staging system for ovarian cancer is the FIGO staging system.

It is as follows:

• Stagestage I:  tumour limited to the ovaries.
  • Stagestage IA: tumour limited to one ovary; capsule intact, no tumour on ovarian surface; no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washings.
  • Stagestage IB: tumour limited to both ovaries; capsules intact, no tumour on ovarian surface; no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washings.
  • Stagestage IC: tumor limited to one or both ovaries , with any of the following: 
    • Stagestage IC1: surgical spill.
    • Stagestage IC2: capsule ruptured before surgery, or tumour on ovarian or fallopian tube surface.
    • Stagestage IC3: malignant cells in the ascites or peritoneal washings.
• Stagestage II: tumour involves one or both ovaries with pelvic extension (below pelvic brim).
  • Stagestage IIA: extension or implants on the uterus or fallopian tubes, no malignant ascites/negative peritoneal washings.
  • Stagestage IIB: extension to other pelvic intraperitoneal tissues.
• Stagestage III: tumour involves one or both ovaries with cytologically or histologically confirmed spread to the peritoneum outside the pelvis and/or metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes.
  • Stagestage IIIA: positive retroperitoneal lymph nodes and /or microscopic metastasis beyond the pelvis:
    • Stagestage IIIA1: positive (cytologically or histologically proven) retroperitoneal lymph nodes only
      • Stagestage IIIA1(i): metastasis up to 10 mm in greatest dimension.
      • Stagestage IIIA1(ii):metastasis more than 10 mm in greatest dimension.
    • Stagestage IIIA2:microscopic extrapelvic (above the pelvic brim) peritoneal involvement with or without positive retroperitoneal lymph nodes
  • Stagestage IIIB: involves macroscopic peritoneal metastasis beyond the pelvis up to 2 cm in greatest dimension, with or without metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes.
  • Stagestage IIIC: involves macroscopic peritoneal metastasis beyond the pelvis more than 2 cm in greatest dimension, with or without metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Stage IIIC
    • includes extension of tumor to the capsule of liver and spleen without parenchymal involvement of either organ.
• Stagestage IV: consists of distant metastasis, excluding peritoneal metastases, and includes the following:
  • Stagestage IVA: pleural effusion with positive cytology.
  • Stagestage IVB:parenchymal metastases and metastases to extra-abdominal organs (including inguinal lymph nodes and lymph nodes outside of the abdominal cavity).   

See also

• Endometrial cancer staging
• Cervical cancer staging
• Choriocarcinoma staging
• Tubal cancer staging
• Vaginal cancer staging
• Vulval cancer staging
• FIGO staging system