Under the FIGO system, carcinoma that extends outside the uterus but remains confined to the pelvis and/or retroperitoneal lymph nodes is classified as which stage?

• A. Stage II
• B. Stage I
• C. Stage III
• D. Stage IV

Answer: (C)

In this setup, the stage reflects how far the cancer has spread beyond the uterus. If the tumor has extended outside the uterus but remains confined to the pelvis (and may involve retroperitoneal lymph nodes), it is classified as Stage III. This stage marks more extensive local spread than Stage II, which stays within the pelvis but not beyond its boundaries. It is not beyond the true pelvis (which would be Stage IV). So when the disease has left the uterus yet stays in the pelvic region (with possible nodal involvement in the retroperitoneal area), Stage III is the correct classification.