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There are five stages of colon cancer. Three of these stages have three substages. The stages of colon cancer are:
Stage 0: This stage, also known as carcinoma in situ, involves the presence of abnormal or precancerous cells in the mucosa, the innermost layer of the colon wall.
Stage I: In this stage, the colon cancer has grown into the wall of the bowel, extending to or beyond the muscle layer, but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage II: The cancer has spread into the bowel wall but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. There are three types of Stage II:
Stage IIA: The cancer has spread through much of the colon wall but not to the outer layer.
Stage IIB: The cancer has spread to the outer layer of the colon wall or into the wall.
Stage IIC: The cancer has spread to a nearby organ.
Stage III: In this stage, the colon cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. There are three substages of Stage III colon cancer:
Stage IIIA: Cancer is present in the first or second layers of the colon wall and has spread to an average of one to four lymph nodes.
Stage IIIB: The cancer affects nearly the entire colon wall.
Stage IIIC: Cancer is present in the outer layer of the colon or lymph nodes. This is the stage where colon cancer has spread to a nearby organ and lymph node.
Stage IV: This is the stage where the colon cancer has metastasized, spreading to other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, or ovaries.
Stage IVA: In this stage, the colon cancer has spread to one organ or lymph nodes.
Stage IVB: The cancer has spread to more than one distant organ and more lymph nodes.
Stage IVC: The cancer has spread to distant organs, lymph nodes, and abdominal tissue.
What are the Stages of Colon (Bowel) Cancer?
Stage 0: This stage, also known as carcinoma in situ, involves the presence of abnormal or precancerous cells in the mucosa, the innermost layer of the colon wall.
Stage I: In this stage, the colon cancer has grown into the wall of the bowel, extending to or beyond the muscle layer, but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage II: The cancer has spread into the bowel wall but has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. There are three types of Stage II:
Stage IIA: The cancer has spread through much of the colon wall but not to the outer layer.
Stage IIB: The cancer has spread to the outer layer of the colon wall or into the wall.
Stage IIC: The cancer has spread to a nearby organ.
Stage III: In this stage, the colon cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. There are three substages of Stage III colon cancer:
Stage IIIA: Cancer is present in the first or second layers of the colon wall and has spread to an average of one to four lymph nodes.
Stage IIIB: The cancer affects nearly the entire colon wall.
Stage IIIC: Cancer is present in the outer layer of the colon or lymph nodes. This is the stage where colon cancer has spread to a nearby organ and lymph node.
Stage IV: This is the stage where the colon cancer has metastasized, spreading to other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, or ovaries.
Stage IVA: In this stage, the colon cancer has spread to one organ or lymph nodes.
Stage IVB: The cancer has spread to more than one distant organ and more lymph nodes.
Stage IVC: The cancer has spread to distant organs, lymph nodes, and abdominal tissue.