Why is it difficult for lab to grade my OV stage 1A Cancer

I guess I'm confused. If
I guess I'm confused. If the lab can't grade your tumor, how do you know it's 1A? Is that the stage the doctor gave it at the time of surgery?

Carlene

BonnieR said:

Praying
Lifting you in prayer as you deal with the unknown. Hugs Bonnie

I think grading cancers is harder than staging them.
When 2 pathologists look at the same slides to see the shape and histology of individual cells and try to grade them, there isn't usually 100% concensus. I read a recent study where they had pathologists go back over some 300+ former endometrial cancer pathology slides, and 60% had some disagreement on the former findings. Most of the differences in opinion were small, but STILL!!! I think it just shows how very INDIVIDUAL and unique each of our bodies are, and the funky shapes our cancer cells take on are hard to pinpoint.

The extent of spread shown by your surgery pathology probably has given you a good handle on the stage of your cancer; you can be VERY happy and confident about your STAGE. The assumption that the cell GRADE is 3 is the safest assumption, for you, especially with OVC. Hopefully (Prayerfully!) you will never have to have surgery again and the chance for them to have fresh tissue to try and grade your cancer cells again!! I'd personally move ahead with treatment based on the assumed Grade 3, and hope to have a happy surprise if I ever have to have another biopsy! And in my heart, I'd believe I have a Grade 1 cell type and am being aggressive just in case!