Grade

[Sarah23]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone no what grade a Carcinoma tumour is, I am aware that it is an aggresive type which spreads quickly, but is it always a high grade i.e 3 or 4 or can it be slow growing? I was a stage 3c but my tumour did not spread to other organs it grow in the pelvic area and also had one tumour on the omentum, went on to have succesfull treatment and now in remission, also does this type of tumour have more of a chance of reacurrance in the future, because it is aggresive?

Sarah P.

[Hidden]

Hi Sarah,

"Carcinoma' is just another word for cancer. The stages are about size, the grade is about spread - a 3c has spread from the ovary (in your case to the omentum). To differentiate what type of tumour yours was, there will be another description as well as carcinoma.

Best wishes,

Isadora.

[suzieque]

Hi Sarah,

I'm not 100% certain ,but I thought that the stage figure is about the spread and if it involves the lymph nodes,omentum as mine did and I was stage iiic and grade is about the behaviour or nature of the tumour ,mine was grade 3..It is very confusing to us mere mortals.But talk it over with your gynae/oncology nurse, as some of us want to know the full details of their cancer and they can answer a lot of your queries.Sometimes though it's so true that ignorance can be bliss...

Best wishes

Suzieque xxx

[spanishanna]

Hi,

I am putting this post on for everyone actually. It is something I have had in my computer for a long time and is from the American Cancer Society. But I think it explains everything and beyond about ovarian cancer.

documents.cancer.org/acs/gr...

It is a long document and takes some ploughing through and some parts may not be relevant to the UK. I keep in in my Bookmark section of my computer and is always there for reference.

Love Anna xx

[yellowpetal in reply to spanishanna]

Thanks Anna, this is the most informative doc I've read since beginning treatment, really useful its now saved to my desktop x

[TinaWright]

Hi Sarah,

Suzieque is correct in her explanation about the differences of staging a tumour to grading one.

The results from each individual will decide on your individual treatment protocol.

Don`t worry about a high GRADE result of 3, most cancers are graded at a three and a one and two is rarelly heard of.

Also high grade 3 tumours do respond better to treatment. My oncologist explained this to me as I was a grade 3 and after reading it up on the internet I was indeed worried about the fact it stated a high GRADE is a fast spreading aggresive type of cancer that is more likely to spread and more likely to return. However, because it does respond better to treatment, it doesn`t nessasarily set your prognosis risk higher.

STAGE-ING a cancer tells us how ADVANCED the cancer is - nothing to do with size,( some larger tumours are not as life thretening as a smaller one, a large tumour can also be benign, so its all about type of cancer, I believe there are 4 different types of Ovarian Cancer.) But staging isn`t about type of cancer either, that is in your diagnostic report, eg; clear cell or serous . . . . .

Staging tells us simply how much the cancer has spread. It only becomes a stage 3 if it has spread outside the ovary. The more spreading the higher the stage.

Somtimes, it is possible to have surgary alone. However, a follow up of chemotherapy is most likely with a higher stage cancer of a 2c, 3, or 4.

The higher the stage is the more it has spread. I contained large tumour can still be staged as a grade 2. Hope this helps.

sometimes we can get rather confussed by reading things straight from the internet, so always best to ask your oncologist to explain anything that worry`s you or anything you don`t fully understand. If we don`t ask, we are told very little, I am aware that for some cancer patients they cope better by not knowing.

As for me, I like to know everything so I can deal with it in the best way I know how.

Remember we are each an individual and each of our cancers are different to our friends. We all respond differently to treatments too.

Prayers to us all - Tina x

[Hidden]

Hi Sarah,

The clearest explanation of what a UK oncologist is refering to is at:

cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk...

There are differences between the USA and UK definitions.

I.