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Ovarian cancer, as in all other forms of the disease, is graded by treating doctors according to its level of advancement. The stages of ovarian cancer are graded one to four, with four being the most serious stage.

Stage one of cancer of the ovaries is the least advanced stage. This is where the cancer has been discovered relatively early in its development and has been confined to the ovaries only. In stage one, as in all the other stages of the disease spread, there are also sub stages, and they run as follows:

Stage 1a: The cancer is contained inside one ovary

Stage 1b: The cancer has spread to both ovaries

Stage 1c: The cancer is contained to one ovary and there is some evidence of cancerous cells appearing on the ovary's surface.

Stage 1d: The cancer is contained to one ovary and there is some evidence of cancerous cells found in the abdominal fluids.

Stage 1e: The cancer is contained to one ovary and the ovary ruptures either before or during surgery.

In stage two of ovarian cancer, the cancer has spread to be outside the ovaries. The sub stages of stage two run as follows:

Stage2a: The cancer has spread into the fallopian tubes or the womb

Stage 2b: The cancer has grown into other tissues in the pelvis. These can be either the rectum or the bladder.

Stage 2c: The cancer has spread into the fallopian tubes or the womb as well as other tissues in the pelvis as well as there is some cancer on the surface of at least one ovary

Stage 2d: The cancer has spread into the fallopian tubes or the womb as well as other tissues in the pelvis as well as cancer cells are found in abdominal fluid during surgery.

Stage 2e: The cancer has spread into the fallopian tubes or the womb as well as the ovary ruptures before or during surgery

Stage three of the ovarian cancer's development means the cancer has spread outside the pelvis into the abdominal cavity. The cancer is also designated as being stage there if cancerous cells are found in the lymph nodes of the upper abdomen or groin.

The sub stages of stage three run as follows:

Stage 3a: Cancer can be seen under the microscope in tissue taken from the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum)

Stage 3b: Tumorous growths smaller than 2cm are discovered on the lining of the abdomen

Stage 3c: Tumorous growths smaller than 2cm are discovered on the lining of the abdomen, or the lymph nodes in the upper abdomen, or the groin or behind the womb contain cancer.

Stage four is the most advanced of all forms of ovarian cancer, where the cancer has spread into other body organs such as the liver or lungs.