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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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stage III ovarian germ cell tumor  listen  (...oh-VAYR-ee-un jerm sel TOO-mer)

  Cancer is found in one or both ovaries and has spread outside the pelvis to other parts of the abdomen and/or nearby lymph nodes. Stage III is divided into stages IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. In stage IIIA, the tumor is found in the pelvis only, but cancer cells that can be seen only with a microscope have spread to the surface of the peritoneum (tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen), the small intestines, or the tissue that connects the small intestines to the wall of the abdomen. In stage IIIB, cancer has spread to the peritoneum and the cancer in the peritoneum is 2 centimeters or smaller. In stage IIIC, cancer has spread to the peritoneum and the cancer in the peritoneum is larger than 2 centimeters and/or has spread to lymph nodes in the abdomen. Cancer that has spread to the surface of the liver is also considered stage III ovarian cancer.

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Stage IIIA ovarian cancer; drawing shows tumors inside both ovaries that have spread to the uterus, colon, and the surface of the peritoneum. Also shown are the fallopian tubes, small intestine, and bladder.
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Stage IIIB ovarian cancer; drawing shows tumors inside both ovaries that have spread to the uterus, colon, small intestine, and the peritoneum, where they are 2 centimeters or smaller in diameter. An inset shows 2 centimeters is about the size of a peanut. Also shown are the fallopian tubes and bladder.
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Stage IIIC ovarian cancer; drawing shows tumors inside both ovaries that have spread to the uterus, colon, small intestine, lymph nodes in the abdomen, and the surface of the peritoneum, where they are larger than 2 centimeters in diameter. An inset shows 2 centimeters is about the size of a peanut. Also shown are the fallopian tubes and bladder.