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Stages of Uterine Sarcoma
If you are diagnosed with a uterine sarcoma, your cancer care team will try to figure out if it has spread, and if so, how far. This process is called staging.
The stage of the cancer describes how much cancer is in the body. It helps determine how serious the cancer is and how best to treat it. Doctors also use a cancer's stage when talking about survival statistics.
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How are uterine sarcomas staged?
The systems used to stage uterine sarcoma, the FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) system and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system, are basically the same.
They both stage this cancer based on 3 factors:
- T (tumor) describes the size of the main tumor and spread to nearby abdominal and pelvic tissues.
- N (nodes) describes the extent of spread to nearby (regional) lymph nodes.
- M (metastasis) indicates if the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body outside the abdomen and pelvis.
Numbers or letters after T, N, and M provide more details about each of these factors. Higher numbers mean the cancer is more advanced.
Once a person’s T, N, and M categories have been determined, this information is combined in a process called stage grouping to assign an overall stage. For more information, see Cancer Staging.
Uterine sarcoma stages
Uterine sarcoma stage groups range from stage I through IV and are sometimes divided further using letters. The lower the number, or the earlier the letter, the less the cancer has spread. Although each person’s cancer experience is unique, cancers with similar stages tend to have a similar outlook and are often treated in much the same way.
Uterine sarcoma staging can be complex, so ask your doctor to explain it to you in a way you understand.
The systems described in the table below are only for staging leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS).
I
Stage grouping: T1, N0, M0
The cancer is growing in the uterus but has not started growing outside the uterus. It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
IA
T1a, N0, M0
The cancer is only in the uterus and is no larger than 5 cm (about 2 inches) across (T1a). It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
IB
T1b, N0, M0
The cancer is only in the uterus and is larger than 5 cm (about 2 inches) across (T1b). It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
Stage grouping: T2, N0, M0
The cancer is growing outside the uterus but is not growing outside of the pelvis (T2). It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
IIIA
Stage grouping: T3a, N0, M0
The cancer is growing into tissues of the abdomen in 1 place only (T3a). It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
IIIB
T3b, N0, M0
The cancer is growing into tissues of the abdomen in 2 or more places (T3b). It has not spread to nearby lymph nodes (N0) or to distant sites (M0).
IIIC
T1-3, N1, M0
The cancer is growing in the body of the uterus, and it might have spread into tissues of the abdomen but is not growing into the bladder or rectum (T1-3). The cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes (N1) but not to distant sites (M0).
IVA
Stage grouping: T4, any N, M0
The cancer has spread to the rectum or urinary bladder (T4). It might or might not have spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N) but has not spread to distant sites (M0).
IVB
Any T, any N, M1
The cancer has spread to distant sites such as the lungs, bones, or liver (M1). The cancer in the uterus can be any size and might or might not have grown into tissues in the pelvis and/or abdomen, including the bladder or rectum, (any T), and it might or might not have spread to nearby lymph nodes (any N).
* The following additional categories are not listed on the table above:
- TX: Main tumor cannot be assessed due to lack of information.
- T0: No evidence of a primary tumor.
- NX: Regional lymph nodes cannot be assessed due to lack of information.
- Written by
- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
American Joint Committee on Cancer. Corpus Uteri. In: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer; 2010: 403-409.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Uterine Neoplasms Version 2.2026 – November 14, 2025. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/uterine.pdf on February 17, 2026.
Last Revised: June 9, 2026
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