Breast cancer stages are based on whether the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, whether the lymph nodes have been affected, whether the cancer cells have already spread beyond the breast, and the size of the tumor.
The purpose of identifying the stage in breast cancer is to organize the different factors and features of the cancer. In organizing the factors involved, the prognosis or the most likely outcome of the disease will be identified. The doctor can also provide the patient with the best treatment guide for the disease.
Stage 0. In this stage, the breast cancer is non-invasive. It just simply means that there is no sign of non-cancerous abnormal cells or cancerous cells getting out of the part of the breast where they started. These cells have not yet invaded other neighboring normal tissues in the breast.
Stage 1.
In this stage, the breast cancer is said to be invasive. The cancer cells are already breaking out of the part of the breast where they started and they have already invaded neighboring normal tissues. But in Stage 1, the lymph nodes are not affected or involved and the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters.
Stage 2.
Stage 2 is described as invasive breast cancer and is subdivided into two categories: Stage 2A and Stage 2B. In Stage 2A, there is no tumor in the breast but a 2 centimeters or less tumor can be found scattered in the axillaries lymph nodes, which is the lymph node found under the arm. Another case of Stage 2A is that, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not more than 5 centimeters and has not spread in the axillaries lymph nodes. In stage 2B, the tumor is also larger than 2 centimeters but not more than 5 and has already spread to the axillaries lymph nodes or if the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters, the tumor has not yet spread the axillaries lymph nodes.
Stage 3.
Stage 3 is described as one of the invasive breast cancer stages and is subdivided into 3 categories: Stage 3A, Stage 3B and Stage 3C. In Stage 3A, there is no tumor in the breast but it is found in the axillaries lymph nodes or the lymph nodes near the breast bone. In Stage 3B, the tumor may be of any size and found in the lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone, chest wall and/or skin of the breast, clustered together or sticking to other structures. In Stage 3C, there can still be no sign of cancer in the breast. The tumor may be of any size and found to be spread to the chest wall, lymph nodes above or below the collarbone, lymph nodes under the arm or breastbone.
Stage 4.
Stage 4 is described as one of the invasive breast cancer stages in which the cancer has already spread to other organs of the body; usually the brain, lungs, liver or bone.
Importance of Knowing Breast Cancer Stages
Determining the breast cancer stages is important since it enables the patient and doctor to identify the treatment necessary for one’s condition. Also, it is essential in assessing the risk of the given condition and what lifestyle changes the patient can do to improve their health.
Identifying a Breast Cancer's Stage
When talking about breast cancer stages, it is aimed at describing the extent of the cancer in the body. So, if you ask how a breast cancer is staged, doctors often start to classify whether it is invasive or non-invasive. Other factors considered are the tumor size, number of nymph modes involved, and what other parts of the body it has managed to affect.
Determining a cancer's stage is helpful during prognosis and deciding on a treatment option. To determine the stage, a few standard procedures are done by the doctor on a patient. They undergo physical exam and biopsy to acquire the data needed by the doctor for the diagnosis.
If needed, further tests are also conducted such as imaging tests that include x-ray, bone scans, mammograms for the breasts, CT scans, positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging.
What Are the Breast Cancer Stages?
Take note of the features and extent of the cancer in each of the stages:
Breast Cancer Stage 0
This stage renders the case of breast cancer to be non-invasive. At this point of the breast cancer, cancer or non-cancerous cells cannot be detected yet. The abnormal cells are still at the stage wherein they try to spread out within the specific part of the breast where the cells are rooted.
Breast Cancer Stage I
Once the breast cancer enters this stage, it is now categorized as an invasive type of breast cancer. Meaning, the cancer cells have now worked their way towards the neighboring tissues. Stage I breast cancer also exhibit the following characteristics:
• The cancerous tumor has reached the size of 2 centimeters.
• No lymph modes are affected.
Breast Cancer Stage II
For this particular stage of breast cancer, it is also known as an invasive type of cancer and is broken down into two more categories:
1) Stage IIA
Even in this particular stage, the conditions can be different:
• A tumor does not exist in the breast but cancerous cells are detected in the lymph nodes.
• A tumor could exist but measures less than 2 centimeters;
• The tumor has expanded beyond 2 centimeters but less than 5 centimeters without reaching the lymph nodes.
2) Stage IIB
This invasive level of the cancer is recognized as either one of the following:
• The tumor exceeds 2 centimeters in size but less than 5 centimeters, while also reaching the lymph nodes.
• The tumor is more than 5 centimeters in size but has not yet reached the axillaries lymph nodes.
Breast Cancer Stage III
1) Stage IIIA
In this stage, the tumor could either be detected or not. Aside from the axillaries lymph nodes, cancer can also stick to other structures outside of the lymph nodes and become clumped together.
2) Stage IIIB
In this stage, the tumor can grow in size and affect other areas of the body outside of the actual breast, whether the chest wall or skin of the breast. This is the stage wherein inflammatory breast cancer takes place.
3) Stage IIIC
In some cases, sign of breast cancer might not be detectable yet. However, the tumor could already be spreading towards the breast skin, chest wall, and below your collarbone.
Breast Cancer Stage IV
In this level, the cancerous cells have managed to spread to various organs of the body. Therefore, the cancer is no longer restricted on the breast and lymph nodes, which signifies the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason why diagnosis is done only during this stage is because cancerous cells were not detected while still within the breast.
Recognizing breast cancer stages does more than just identifying treatment options, but also enables doctors and patients to understand the developmental pattern of the disease.
The purpose of identifying the stage in breast cancer is to organize the different factors and features of the cancer. In organizing the factors involved, the prognosis or the most likely outcome of the disease will be identified. The doctor can also provide the patient with the best treatment guide for the disease.
Stage 0. In this stage, the breast cancer is non-invasive. It just simply means that there is no sign of non-cancerous abnormal cells or cancerous cells getting out of the part of the breast where they started. These cells have not yet invaded other neighboring normal tissues in the breast.
Stage 1.
In this stage, the breast cancer is said to be invasive. The cancer cells are already breaking out of the part of the breast where they started and they have already invaded neighboring normal tissues. But in Stage 1, the lymph nodes are not affected or involved and the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters.
Stage 2.
Stage 2 is described as invasive breast cancer and is subdivided into two categories: Stage 2A and Stage 2B. In Stage 2A, there is no tumor in the breast but a 2 centimeters or less tumor can be found scattered in the axillaries lymph nodes, which is the lymph node found under the arm. Another case of Stage 2A is that, the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not more than 5 centimeters and has not spread in the axillaries lymph nodes. In stage 2B, the tumor is also larger than 2 centimeters but not more than 5 and has already spread to the axillaries lymph nodes or if the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters, the tumor has not yet spread the axillaries lymph nodes.
Stage 3.
Stage 3 is described as one of the invasive breast cancer stages and is subdivided into 3 categories: Stage 3A, Stage 3B and Stage 3C. In Stage 3A, there is no tumor in the breast but it is found in the axillaries lymph nodes or the lymph nodes near the breast bone. In Stage 3B, the tumor may be of any size and found in the lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone, chest wall and/or skin of the breast, clustered together or sticking to other structures. In Stage 3C, there can still be no sign of cancer in the breast. The tumor may be of any size and found to be spread to the chest wall, lymph nodes above or below the collarbone, lymph nodes under the arm or breastbone.
Stage 4.
Stage 4 is described as one of the invasive breast cancer stages in which the cancer has already spread to other organs of the body; usually the brain, lungs, liver or bone.
Importance of Knowing Breast Cancer Stages
Determining the breast cancer stages is important since it enables the patient and doctor to identify the treatment necessary for one’s condition. Also, it is essential in assessing the risk of the given condition and what lifestyle changes the patient can do to improve their health.
Identifying a Breast Cancer's Stage
When talking about breast cancer stages, it is aimed at describing the extent of the cancer in the body. So, if you ask how a breast cancer is staged, doctors often start to classify whether it is invasive or non-invasive. Other factors considered are the tumor size, number of nymph modes involved, and what other parts of the body it has managed to affect.
Determining a cancer's stage is helpful during prognosis and deciding on a treatment option. To determine the stage, a few standard procedures are done by the doctor on a patient. They undergo physical exam and biopsy to acquire the data needed by the doctor for the diagnosis.
If needed, further tests are also conducted such as imaging tests that include x-ray, bone scans, mammograms for the breasts, CT scans, positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging.
What Are the Breast Cancer Stages?
Take note of the features and extent of the cancer in each of the stages:
Breast Cancer Stage 0
This stage renders the case of breast cancer to be non-invasive. At this point of the breast cancer, cancer or non-cancerous cells cannot be detected yet. The abnormal cells are still at the stage wherein they try to spread out within the specific part of the breast where the cells are rooted.
Breast Cancer Stage I
Once the breast cancer enters this stage, it is now categorized as an invasive type of breast cancer. Meaning, the cancer cells have now worked their way towards the neighboring tissues. Stage I breast cancer also exhibit the following characteristics:
• The cancerous tumor has reached the size of 2 centimeters.
• No lymph modes are affected.
Breast Cancer Stage II
For this particular stage of breast cancer, it is also known as an invasive type of cancer and is broken down into two more categories:
1) Stage IIA
Even in this particular stage, the conditions can be different:
• A tumor does not exist in the breast but cancerous cells are detected in the lymph nodes.
• A tumor could exist but measures less than 2 centimeters;
• The tumor has expanded beyond 2 centimeters but less than 5 centimeters without reaching the lymph nodes.
2) Stage IIB
This invasive level of the cancer is recognized as either one of the following:
• The tumor exceeds 2 centimeters in size but less than 5 centimeters, while also reaching the lymph nodes.
• The tumor is more than 5 centimeters in size but has not yet reached the axillaries lymph nodes.
Breast Cancer Stage III
1) Stage IIIA
In this stage, the tumor could either be detected or not. Aside from the axillaries lymph nodes, cancer can also stick to other structures outside of the lymph nodes and become clumped together.
2) Stage IIIB
In this stage, the tumor can grow in size and affect other areas of the body outside of the actual breast, whether the chest wall or skin of the breast. This is the stage wherein inflammatory breast cancer takes place.
3) Stage IIIC
In some cases, sign of breast cancer might not be detectable yet. However, the tumor could already be spreading towards the breast skin, chest wall, and below your collarbone.
Breast Cancer Stage IV
In this level, the cancerous cells have managed to spread to various organs of the body. Therefore, the cancer is no longer restricted on the breast and lymph nodes, which signifies the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason why diagnosis is done only during this stage is because cancerous cells were not detected while still within the breast.
Recognizing breast cancer stages does more than just identifying treatment options, but also enables doctors and patients to understand the developmental pattern of the disease.
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