Before your doctor decide the best treatment for you, your doctor require to know the stage of disease and the grade of the tumor. To find out the stage of the disease, it's based on whether the cancer has spread, and if so, to what parts of the body, whether the tumor has invaded nearby tissues.
Commonly, surgery is required before staging can be complete. The surgeon collects many samples of tissue from the pelvis and abdomen to look for cancer.
Your doctor may do these tests below to find out whether the cancer has spread:
- Barium Enema x-ray: Your doctor may instruct a series of x-rays of the lower intestine. You are given an enema with a barium solution. The barium outlines the intestine on the x-rays. Areas blocked by cancer may show up on the x-rays.
- Chest x-ray: X-rays of the chest can show fluid or tumors
- Colonoscopy: Your doctor inserts a long, lighted tube into the colon and rectum. This exam can contribute to tell if cancer has spreaded to the rectum or colon.
- CT scan: Doctors usually apply CT scans to make pictures of organs and tissues in the pelvis or abdomen. An x-ray machine connected to a computer takes several pictures. You may get contrast material by injection into your arm or hand and by mouth. The contrast material contributes the organs or tissues show up more clearly. A tumor or abdominal fluid may appear on the CT scan.
- Stage I: Cancer cells are found in one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may be discovered on the surface of the ovaries or in fluid collected from the abdomen.
- Stage II: Cancer cells have spread from one or both ovaries to other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells are discovered on the fallopian tubes, the uterus, or other tissues in the pelvis. Cancer cells may be discovered in fluid collected from the abdomen.
- Stage III: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the pelvis or to the regional lymph nodes. Cancer cells may be discovered on the outside of the liver.
- Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to tissues outside the abdomen and pelvis. Cancer cells may be discovered inside the liver, in the lungs, or in other organs.
Source: MedicineNet
Image: sxc.hu
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