Stages of Skin Cancer on the Eyelid
The following stages are used for nonmelanoma skin cancer on the eyelid:
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in the epidermis (topmost layer of the skin). These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.
Stage I
Stage I is divided into stages IA, IB, and IC.
- Stage IA: The tumor is 5 millimeters or smaller and has not spread to the connective tissue of the eyelid or to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are.
- Stage IB: The tumor is larger than 5 millimeters but not larger than 10 millimeters or has spread to the connective tissue of the eyelid or to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are.
- Stage IC: The tumor is larger than 10 millimeters but not larger than 20 millimeters or has spread through the full thickness of the eyelid.
Stage II
In stage II, one of the following is true:
- The tumor is larger than 20 millimeters.
- The tumor has spread to nearby parts of the eye or eye socket.
- The tumor has spread to spaces around the nerves in the eyelid.
Stage III
Stage III is divided into stages IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC.
- Stage IIIA: To remove all of the tumor, the whole eye and part of the optic nerve must be removed. The bone, muscles, fat, and connective tissue around the eye may also be removed.
- Stage IIIB: The tumor may be anywhere in or near the eye and has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
- Stage IIIC: The tumor has spread to structures around the eye or in the face, or to the brain, and cannot be removed in surgery.
Stage IV
The tumor has spread to distant parts of the body.
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Adapted from the National Cancer Institute’s Physician Data Query (PDQ(r)) Cancer Information Summaries (http://www.cancer.gov/
cancertopics/pdq). Date last modified: November 10, 2014
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