Ovarian cancer (staging)

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

It is as follows:

• stage I:  tumour limited to the ovaries
  • stage Ia: tumour limited to one ovary; capsule intact, no tumour on ovarian surface; no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washings
  • stage Ib: tumour limited to both ovaries; capsules intact, no tumour on ovarian surface; no malignant cells in ascites or peritoneal washings
  • stage Ic: tumor limited to one or both ovaries , with any of the following: 
    • stage Ic1: surgical spill
    • stage Ic2: capsule ruptured before surgery, or tumour on ovarian or fallopian tube surface
    • stage Ic3: malignant cells in the ascites or peritoneal washings
• stage II: tumour involves one or both ovaries with pelvic extension (below pelvic brim)
  • stage IIa: extension or implants on the uterus or fallopian tubes, no malignant ascites/negative peritoneal washings
  • stage IIb: extension to other pelvic intraperitoneal tissues
• stage 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
  • stage IIIa: positive retroperitoneal lymph nodes and /or microscopic metastasis beyond the pelvis:
    • stage IIIa1: positive (cytologically or histologically proven) retroperitoneal lymph nodes only
      • stage IIIa1(i): metastasis up to 10 mm in greatest dimension
      • stage IIIa1(ii): metastasis more than 10 mm in greatest dimension
    • stage IIIa2: microscopic extrapelvic (above the pelvic brim) peritoneal involvement with or without positive retroperitoneal lymph nodes
  • stage IIIb: involves macroscopic peritoneal metastasis beyond the pelvis up to 2 cm in greatest dimension, with or without metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes
  • stage IIIc: involves macroscopic peritoneal metastasis beyond the pelvis more than 2 cm in greatest dimension, with or without metastasis to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes
    • includes extension of tumor to the capsule of liver and spleen without parenchymal involvement of either organ
• stage IV: consists of distant metastasis, excluding peritoneal metastases, and includes the following:
  • stage IVa: pleural effusion with positive cytology
  • stage 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