The different Ovarian Cancer Stages are basically a measure of how far the cancer has spread. The cancer when diagnosed can be confined to the ovaries or spread to other nearby areas or even distant organs or lymph nodes. Determining the stage the cancer is at when it is diagnosed is important as often the treatment given is decided according to the stage.
Different stages of ovarian cancer will have different predicted outcomes. Ovarian Cancer Metastasis to distant organs is not very common in this type of cancer, it mainly spreads within the abdominal cavity. The lower the stage number, the better the prognosis (the predicted likely outcome and better chance of recovery), with stage at diagnosis being the most important factor in determining survival. This is illustrated in the table below:
As you can see, the 5-year survival rate for patients with stage 4 cancer is very poor. On the other hand, when the cancer is confined to the ovaries (stage 1), the survival rate is more like 80-90%. However, less than 30% of patients are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease (stage 1) (Rosenthal and Jacobs, 1998). This emphasizes the importance of early detection in improving survival rates.
The tests and scans patients undergo to diagnose their cancer will help determine the stage the cancer is at. Also, during an initial surgery, tissue is removed from different parts of the pelvis and abdomen and examined carefully in the lab to see whether there are cancer cells in these areas. Peritoneal washings are performed where he abdominal cavity is filled with fluid then removed using suction. This is then examined under the microscope to check for the presence of cancer cells.
See the picture below which illustrates the procedures that surgeons will carry out to determine the ovarian cancer stages:
By understanding the different stages of ovarian cancer patients can become involved in making informed decisions about the treatments available. It is therefore important to find out from your doctor what your stage is.
Keep in mind that early detection equates to being diagnosed in the earlier stages of cancer which will greatly increase your chance of survival.
The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) has defined a staging system which is the most commonly used system in the developed world. This system is a very powerful predictor of prognosis in ovarian cancer.
The accuracy of staging using this system surpasses any other factors in determining prognosis. There are 4 stages in this system, all with further sub-stages. Within these, there are also different grades.
Select one of the links below for a more detailed description of each of the different ovarian cancer stages and grades:
In addition, patioents can be diagnosed with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer, where they have experienced a period of remission following initial treatment but have subsequently developed a cancer recurrence.
The biological behavior of the cancers is represented by their grade. It is measured by how abnormal the cancer cells look under the microscope. The tumors are graded on a scale of 0 to 3.
Borderline – Grade 0 tumors are non-invasive tumors of low malignant potential (LMP).
Well differentiated – Grade 1 tumors look most like normal tissue.
Moderately differentiated – Grade 2 tumors look somewhat like normal tissue.
Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated – Grade 3 tumors appear very abnormal.
Well differentiated cancers tend to grow and spread more slowly, while poorly differentiated cancers grow and spread more rapidly. This means that Grade 1 tumors have the best prognosis, while grade 3 tumors have the worst predicted outcome.
Hatua tofauti za kansa ya yai ni kipimo cha jinsi kansa hiyo ilivyoenea. Ugonjwa wa kansa unaweza kuenea kwenye ovari au kwenye viungo vingine vya mwili au hata kwenye viungo vya mbali. Kuamua ni hatua gani ya saratani wakati inapoagizwa ni muhimu kwani mara nyingi matibabu yanatolewa kulingana na hatua. Hatua tofauti-tofauti za kansa ya yai zitakuwa na matokeo tofauti-tofauti ya utabiri. Metastasis kwa viungo vya mbali si ya kawaida katika aina hii ya kansa, hasa huenea ndani ya tumbo. Kadiri kiwango cha hatua kilivyo chini, ndivyo prognosis ilivyo bora (matokeo ya uwezekano wa kutabiri na nafasi bora ya kupona), na hatua wakati wa utambuzi ni sababu muhimu zaidi katika kuamua kuishi. "Hii ni kwa sababu, kama inavyoonekana, kiwango cha kuishi kwa miaka mitano kwa wagonjwa wa saratani ya hatua ya 4 ni cha chini sana.""" Kwa upande mwingine, ikiwa saratani imefungwa kwenye ovari (kiwango cha kwanza), kiwango cha kuishi ni karibu 80-90%. Hata hivyo, chini ya asilimia 30 ya wagonjwa hupatikana katika hatua za mwanzo za ugonjwa (hatua ya kwanza) (Rosenthal na Jacobs, 1998). Hilo laonyesha umuhimu wa kugundua ugonjwa huo mapema ili kuboresha viwango vya kuishi. Uchunguzi na uchunguzi ambao wagonjwa hufanya ili kugundua kansa yao utasaidia kuamua ni hatua gani ya kansa hiyo. Wakati wa upasuaji wa kwanza, tishu huondolewa kutoka sehemu tofauti za pelvis na tumbo na kuchunguzwa kwa uangalifu katika maabara ili kuona kama kuna seli za kansa katika maeneo haya. Uoshaji wa peritoneal hufanywa ambapo shimo la tumbo hujazwa na umajimaji kisha huondolewa kwa kutumia kunyonya. Kisha chembe hizo huchunguzwa kwa darubini ili kuchunguza ikiwa kuna chembe za kansa. Picha iliyo hapa chini inaonyesha taratibu ambazo madaktari wa upasuaji watafanya ili kuamua hatua za saratani ya ovari: Kwa kuelewa hatua tofauti za saratani ya ovari, wagonjwa wanaweza kushiriki katika kufanya maamuzi ya ufahamu kuhusu matibabu yanayopatikana. Kwa hiyo ni muhimu kujua kutoka kwa daktari wako ni hatua gani. Kumbuka kwamba kugundua mapema ni sawa na kugundua katika hatua za mapema za saratani ambayo itaongeza sana nafasi yako ya kuishi. Shirikisho la Kimataifa la Gynecology na Obstetrics (FIGO) limeweka mfumo wa hatua ambayo ni mfumo unaotumiwa zaidi katika ulimwengu uliositawi. Mfumo huu ni kiashiria chenye nguvu sana cha utabiri wa kansa ya yai. Uhalisi wa kuweka hatua kwa kutumia mfumo huu unazidi mambo mengine yoyote katika kuamua utabiri. Kuna hatua nne katika mfumo huu, zote na hatua ndogo zaidi. Ndani ya hizi, pia kuna madarasa tofauti. Chagua moja ya viungo hapa chini kwa maelezo ya kina zaidi ya kila hatua tofauti za saratani ya ovari na darasa: Kwa kuongezea, wagonjwa wanaweza kugunduliwa na saratani ya ovari ya mara kwa mara, ambapo wamepitia kipindi cha kupona baada ya matibabu ya awali lakini baadaye wameendeleza saratani ya mara kwa mara. Tabia ya kibiolojia ya kansa huwakilishwa na kiwango chake. Inapimwa kwa jinsi chembe za kansa zinavyoonekana zisizo za kawaida chini ya darubini. Tumors ni kupimwa kwa kiwango cha 0 hadi 3. Tumors ya daraja la 0 ni tumors zisizo za uvamizi za uwezo wa chini wa uovu (LMP). Tumors ya daraja la kwanza inaonekana kama tishu ya kawaida. Tumors ya daraja la 2 huonekana kama tishu ya kawaida. Tumors za daraja la 3 zinaonekana kuwa zisizo za kawaida sana. Saratani zilizo tofauti vizuri huwa na kukua na kuenea polepole zaidi, huku saratani zilizo tofauti vibaya zikikua na kuenea haraka zaidi. Tumors ya daraja la kwanza na ya daraja la tatu zina matokeo mabaya zaidi.