Usually when the ovarian epithelial cancer is diagnosed, there are some tests performed to check whether the cancer cells have spread within the ovaries or to the other parts of the body. This process is also known as staging. It is highly important to know the stage of epithelial cancer to plan out the treatment. In order to know the stage, there are usually two types of tests performed.
1. Laparotomy
In this test, the doctors cut the abdomen to check the organs where they also perform biopsy in which small pieces of tissues are cut to observe under microscope to check for cancer. During this checking, the doctors remove the cancerous organs.
2. Thoracentesis
In this process, a fluid is removed from the space between chest and ling with the help of needle. The fluid is then checked by the pathologist for cancerous cells.
Stages of Ovarian Epithelial Cancer
Following stages are used for ovarian epithelial cancer:
1. Stage I
The stage I is further divided into 3 categories as IA, IB and IC.
- Stage IA: In this stage, cancer is present in one of the ovary.
- Stage IB: In this stage, cancer is found in both of the ovaries.
- Stage IC: In this stage, following conditions can take place.
- Cancer is present on the external surface of one or both ovaries.
- The outer covering or the capsule of the ovary has been broken.
- The cancer cells are present in peritoneal cavity fluid.
2. Stage II
The stage II is also divided into 3 categories as IIA, IIB and IIC.
- Stage IIA: In this stage, the cancer has spread to the fallopian tubes through which the eggs pass from ovaries to the uterus or the cancer has spread to the uterus.
- Stage IIB: In this stage, the cancer has spread to other tissues present in pelvis.
- Stage IIC: In this stage, following conditions can take place.
- Cancer is present on the outside surface of one or both ovaries.
- The outer covering or the capsule of the ovary has been broken.
- The cancer cells are present in peritoneal cavity fluid.
3. Stage III
The stage III is also divided in three categories as IIIA, IIIB and IIIC:
- Stage IIIA: In this stage, though the tumor is found in the pelvis area only but these cancer cells may have spread to the small intestines and to the surface of peritoneum, the tissues that line the abdominal wall. And these cells can only be seen with the help of a microscope.
- Stage IIIB: In this stage, cancer is found to be present in one or both ovaries and also it has spread to the other tissues in the abdomen as well as to the peritoneum. At this stage it is 2 centimeter in diameter.
- Stage IIIC: In this stage, the cancer has reached the peritoneum but it is larger than 2 centimeter and it has also spread to the lymph nodes (tissues in the abdomen that are surrounded by the connective tissues and they also stores the white blood cells) in abdomen.
4. Stage IV
In stage IV, the cancerous cells have spread beyond the abdomen to the various other parts of the body such as lungs, bines, tissues etc. The cancer cells that are present around the lungs is also included in stage IV.
These are the four stages of epithelial cancer and the diagnosis of the cancer takes place according to the stage of epithelial cancer.
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Tags: Cancer, Cancer Cells, Cancer Stages, Cancerous Cells, Epithelial Cancer, External Surface, Fallopian Tubes, Laparotomy, Ovaries, Ovary, Pathologist, Pelvis, Peritoneal Cavity, Small Pieces, Stage Cancer, Stage Ia, Stage Ib, Stage Iib, Stage Iii, Stages Of Ovarian Cancer, Thoracentesis, Types Of Tests, Uterus Cancer