Test Your Knowledge

The prognosis (predicted outlook or chance of survival) of ovarian cancer depends on the cancer’s “stage” and “grade.” Staging is a system of diagnosis that indicates the extent of the cancer, or how widespread it is in the body. The grade measures how abnormal the cells look under a microscope. The grading and staging systems are combined into another system that allows the physician to discuss the pathology of the tumor in language the patient can more easily understand. Staging of ovarian cancer affects the woman’s treatment plan as well as the outlook for recovery.

Physicians use a much more complex system for staging ovarian cancer that was developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). This system, which is rapidly replacing another method called the FIGO system, is commonly known as the “TNM” system, where:

• “T” describes the extent of a tumor’s invasion into surrounding tissues and organs.
  
  
• “N” describes whether or not the cancer has spread to surrounding lymph nodes and, if so, the extent of involvement. Lymph nodes are groups of immune system cells that help ward off infections and cancers. They are typically the size of a bean.
  
  
• “M” describes whether or not the cancer has metastasized (spread) to distant organs, such as the lungs, or to lymph nodes that do not surround the ovaries.

These stages of ovarian cancer include:

• Stage I. The cancer is contained within one or both ovaries.
  
  
• Stage II.  The cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread to other pelvic organs, such as the uterus, bladder, fallopian tubes, rectum or sigmoid colon.
  
  
• Stage III.  The cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread from the pelvis to the abdominal lining and/or has spread to the lymph nodes.
  
  
• Stage IV. The most advanced stage of the disease. The cancer is in one or both ovaries and has spread to distant sites, such as the liver, lungs or other organs outside of the patient’s peritoneal cavity.

The following chart reflects the five-year survival rate of ovarian cancer patients by stage. It is important to note that many patients live much longer than five years. Additionally, every patient’s situation is unique, and statistics cannot reveal the outcome of an individual case.