Stages and grades of ovarian cancer

The stage tells you how big your cancer is and whether it has spread. The grade means how abnormal the cells look under the microscope.

Stage 1 ovarian cancer means the cancer is only in the ovaries. Surgery is the main treatment. Some women need chemotherapy.

Stage 2 ovarian cancer means the cancer has grown outside the ovaries or fallopian tubes and is growing within the pelvis. Treatment is surgery and chemotherapy.

Stage 3 ovarian cancer has spread outside the pelvis into the abdominal cavity or to lymph nodes. The main treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and targeted cancer drugs.

Stage 4 ovarian cancer has spread to distant body parts such as the liver or lungs. The main treatments are chemotherapy, surgery and targeted cancer drugs.