Cervical Cancer Stages and Classification

This is the seventh page in the Understanding Cervical Cancer Guide. This guide was developed by the HealthTree Education Team and was last updated and reviewed on June 14, 2026.

Doctors use "stages" to describe how far cancer has grown and whether it has spread. Knowing the stage of your cancer helps your care team plan the best treatment and understand your prognosis.

Cervical cancer is staged using a system developed by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, known as FIGO. The system was last updated in 2018. It looks at the size of the tumor, how deeply it has grown, and whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes or distant organs. In the past, staging was based only on a physical exam. The updated system now allows doctors to use imaging and surgery findings when assigning a stage.

The FIGO Staging System

Stage I — Cancer confined to the cervix

• Stage IA: Cancer is only visible under the microscope. It has invaded less than 5 millimeters deep into the cervical tissue. Stage IA1 tumors invade less than 3 millimeters deep. Stage IA2 tumors invade 3 to 5 millimeters deep.
• Stage IB: Cancer is visible to the naked eye, or is larger than Stage IA criteria. Stage IB is divided into three sub-stages based on tumor size: IB1 is less than 2 centimeters, IB2 is 2 to 4 centimeters, and IB3 is more than 4 centimeters.

Stage II — Cancer has spread beyond the cervix but not to the pelvic wall or lower vagina

• Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to the upper two-thirds of the vagina but not to the tissue beside the uterus. IIA1 tumors are less than 4 centimeters and IIA2 tumors are 4 centimeters or larger.
• Stage IIB: Cancer has spread to the tissue beside the uterus, called the parametrium.

Stage III — Cancer has spread to the lower vagina, pelvic wall, or lymph nodes

• Stage IIIA: Cancer has spread to the lower one-third of the vagina but not to the pelvic wall.
• Stage IIIB: Cancer has spread to the pelvic wall, or is blocking the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, causing kidney problems.
• Stage IIIC1: Cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the pelvis.
• Stage IIIC2: Cancer has spread to lymph nodes around the large blood vessels in the abdomen, called para-aortic lymph nodes.

Stage IV — Cancer has spread to nearby organs or to distant parts of the body

• Stage IVA: Cancer has spread to the bladder or rectum.
• Stage IVB: Cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the lungs, liver, or bones.

Tumor grade

In addition to stage, the grade of the tumor describes how abnormal the cancer cells look under the microscope and how likely they are to grow and spread quickly.

• Well-differentiated, or Grade 1. The cells look mostly like normal cervical cells and tend to grow more slowly.
• Moderately differentiated, or Grade 2. The cells have features between Grade 1 and Grade 3.
• Poorly differentiated, or Grade 3. The cells look very different from normal cells and tend to grow and spread more quickly.

Recurrent cervical cancer

Cervical cancer can return after initial treatment. When it does, doctors classify the recurrence based on where it has come back:

• Local recurrence. Cancer returns in the cervix or the area right around it, such as the top of the vagina where the cervix used to be.
• Regional recurrence. Cancer returns in nearby lymph nodes or other pelvic tissues.
• Distant recurrence. Cancer returns in a part of the body far from the cervix, such as the lungs, liver, or bones.

Your care team will work with you to determine the best next steps based on the timing and location of recurrence and the treatments you have already had.