Stages of Breast Cancer
Staging is a way of the determining how much disease is in the body and where it has spread.
This information is essential because it helps your doctor decide the best time for treatment for you and the outlook for your recovery and prognosis.
TNM staging system is commonly used.
The combination of the size of the tumor (T) and invasion of nearby tissue,
the involvement of lymph nodes (N),
and metastasis or spread of cancer (M) to other organs of the body, are used to will classify cancer into stages.
Breast Cancer Stages
(source: National Cancer Institute)
Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ): Cancer has not spread from the site of origin.
There are two types of breast carcinoma in situ:
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. The abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct to other tissues in the breast. Sometimes DCIS may become invasive breast cancer and spread to other tissues.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lobules of the breast (where milk is made). This condition rarely becomes invasive cancer. However, having LCIS in one breast increases the risk of developing breast cancer in either breast.
Stage IA: The breast tumor is less than 2 centimeters (no more than 3/4 of an inch) across.
Cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IB: The tumor is less than 2 centimeters across. Cancer cells are present in lymph nodes.
Stage IIA: The tumor is no more than 2 centimeters across, and the cancer has spread to underarm lymph nodes, or
The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters across, but the cancer has not spread to underarm lymph nodes
Stage IIB: The breast cancer tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, or
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA: The tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller & cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone, or
The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters & cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone, or
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters & cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that may be attached to each other or to other structures. Cancer may have spread to lymph nodes behind the breastbone.
Stage IIIB: The tumor may be any size and cancer has spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast. May have spread to axillary lymph nodes that may be attached to each other or to nearby tissue. May have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
Stage IIIC: The tumor can be any size, and cancer has spread to lymph nodes behind the breastbone and under the arm, or Cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone
Stage IV: The tumor can be any size, and cancer has spread to other organs of the body, most often to the bones, lungs, liver or brain.
