Stages of Breast Cancer ~ Breast Cancer

Most breast cancer is a type of carcinoma (cancer of epithelial cells, which line tissues in the body) that starts in either the ducts that lead milk to the nipple (most common) or in the lobules, where milk itself is produced, according to Medline Plus. To help diagnose and treat breast cancer (and other cancers), the progression of the disease is broken down into stages.

In order to determine the stage of a cancer, doctors use a system called TNM, according to BreastCancer.org and the American Cancer Society. In this system, "T" stands for the size of the tumor, "N" stands for whether or not the lymph nodes are affected and "M" stands for metastasis.

Stage 0 breast cancer is also known as ductal or lobular carcinoma in situ (DCIS or LCIS), according to the Medline Plus and BreastCancer.org. It is called "in situ" (Latin for "in place") because it has not moved (metastasized) to areas beyond where it started; for the same reason, these cancers are also referred to as non-invasive.

Stage I breast cancer is invasive because it has moved into another area of tissue. According to BreastCancer.org, an invasive breast cancer is stage I if the tumor is 2 centimeters or less and if there is no lymph-node involvement (the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes).

Stage II breast cancer is broken down into two more stages, IIA and IIB. In stage IIA, there is no cancer found in the breast but cancer cells are found in the nearby lymph nodes (under the arm), or there is a tumor 2 centimeters or smaller that has spread to lymph nodes. IIA also includes a tumor sized between 2 and 5 centimeters in the breast but it has not spread to the lymph nodes.

In stage IIB, a tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters and has spread to the lymph nodes or is bigger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the lymph nodes, according to BreastCancer.org.

Stage III breast cancer is broken into three further stages. In stage IIIA, there may be no cancer found in the breast, but there are cancer cells in clumped arm lymph nodes and perhaps in the lymph nodes by the breastbone. IIIA also includes tumors that may be greater or lesser than 5 centimeters which have spread to clumping arm lymph nodes.

In stage IIIB, a tumor can be any size if it has spread to the chest wall or breast skin and has spread to clumping arm lymph nodes or lymph nodes around the breast bone. Inflammatory (causing inflammation) breast cancer is staged at IIIB or higher.

In breast cancer stage IIIC, there may or may not be evidence of cancer in the breast, but if it is present it may be any size and will have spread to the chest wall or skin of the breast as well as the lymph nodes around the collarbone or the lymph nodes of the arm and breastbone, according to BreastCancer.org.

The last stage of breast cancer is stage IV. This occurs when the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body, such as bone, the brain, the liver or the lungs, according to BreastCancer.org.

Odds Of Surviving Stage 3 Breast Cancer - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrVnhQF6qVw
In this video, Dr. Margileth explains what it means to have stage 3 breast cancer and the odds of surviving it. Click Here & Get The 15 Breast Cancer ...
Breast Cancer Survival Rate - Stage 4 Breast Cancer
ezinearticles.com/?Breast-Cancer-Survival-Rate---Stage-4-Breast...
Aug 25, 2007 The 5-year breast cancer survival rate for Stage 4 breast cancer is very low compared to breast cancer detected at earlier stages. Here is some basic ...
Breast Cancer Forum: Stage IV and Metastatic Breast Cancer
community.breastcancer.org/forum/8
Breast Cancer Discussion Forums - Access the shared knowledge of thousands of people affected by breast cancer
Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer - How to Detect Breast Cancer
ezinearticles.com/?Early-Symptoms-of-Breast-Cancer---How-to-Detect...
Mar 05, 2009 Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer - How to Detect Breast Cancer at Its Early Stage. By Michael Lee
Breast Cancer Awareness
www.breastcancerawareness.com/education.php?bce_cat=stages
Education Categories: General Information About Breast Cancer; Stages of Breast Cancer; Inflammatory Breast Cancer; Recurrent Breast Cancer; Treatment Option
Stages of Breast Cancer - Comparison Table of TNM and Staging
breastcancer.about.com/library/blbc_stages_3.htm
[What are the stages of breast cancer? How does the TNM System relate to staging? Read more to understand a breast cancer diagnosis.]
survival rate of Stage IV - Breast Cancer: Stage 3 & 4 - MedHelp
www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer-Stage-3--4/survival-rate-of...
My 26 year old sister was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. During her second chemotherapy treatment last week, the doctor came in to confirm that the cancer has ...
Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ) - National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient/page2
Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of breast cancer.
Breast cancer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_cancer
Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.
Breastcancer.org - Breast Cancer Information and Awareness
www.breastcancer.org
Breastcancer.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer.
Late stage breast cancer on the rise in younger women Fox News
www.foxnews.com/health/2013/02/27/late-stage-breast-cancer-on-rise...
Feb 27, 2013 The incidence of metastatic breast cancer the most advanced stage of the disease is on the rise in younger women between the ages of 25 and 39, an ...
Stages Of Brain Cancer LIVESTRONG.COM
www.livestrong.com/stages-brain-cancer
Stages Of Brain Cancer. Lifestyle, fitness & health information about Stages Of Brain Cancer. Final Stages of Brain Cancer, 5 Things You Need to Know About the Stages ...
Breast Cancer Medications and Vision: Effects of Treatments for ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Taylor & Francis iOpenAccess
Aug 05, 2011 This review concerns the effects on vision and the eye of medications prescribed at three phases of treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer
Stage 4 Breast Cancer Life Expectancy LIVESTRONG.COM
www.livestrong.com Women's Health Breast Cancer Stages
Mar 06, 2011 Stage 4 Breast Cancer Life Expectancy. Stage 4 or stage IV breast cancer is breast cancer presented with identifiable metastases beyond the breast
Early Stage, HER2 Positive Breast Cancer Patients at Increased ...
www.mdanderson.org 2009NewsIndex
Early-stage breast cancer patients with HER2 positive tumors one centimeter or smaller are at significant risk of recurrence of their disease, compared to those with ...
Breast Cancer Symptoms: lumps, swelling or skin changes can be ...
www.breastcancer.org/symptomTypes of Breast Cancer Breast Self-Exam Your Diagnosis Mammograms
Breast cancer symptoms and diagnostic tests as well as information on types of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Forum: Stage IV and Metastatic Breast Cancer
community.breastcancer.org/forum/8?page=4
Breast Cancer Discussion Forums - Access the shared knowledge of thousands of people affected by breast cancer
Susan G. Komen Understanding Breast Cancer Treatment ...
ww5.komen.org/Content.aspx?id=5378
Breast cancer treatment usually involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and/or targeted therapy. However, depending on ...
the face of Stage IV breast cancer MicheleAnn - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqBTIpsLVY
This video was to bring a face to those of us suffering and dying from breast cancer, alot of emphysis is put on the survivor, that leaves us all out. They ...
Breast Cancer Symptoms, Signs, Stages, Prevention, Detection ...
www.onhealth.com/breast_cancer/article.htm
Get the facts on breast cancer symptoms, signs, stages, types, research, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention information, and treatment options: mastectomy ...
Stage 1 Breast Cancer Treatment
stage-1-breast.cancertreatment.net
Typical Stage 1 breast cancer treatment options may include surgery and hormone therapy. Stage 1 breast cancer is defined as being small in size (tumor/cancerous ...
Stage 4 Breast Cancer Treatment
stage-4-breast.cancertreatment.net
In Stage 4 breast cancer, it is not uncommon for the cancer to spread to the bone, causing pain and discomfort. In these cases, radiation therapy may be recommended ...
Can a Person Survive Stage 4 Breast Cancer? eHow
www.ehow.com Health Cancer Breast Cancer
Stage IV breast cancer is widely seen as incurable. While earlier detection, research into the causes, improvements in radiation and surgical techniques have improved ...
Stage 3 Breast Cancer Treatment
stage-3-breast.cancertreatment.net
Stage 3 breast cancer treatment is very similar to that of Stage 2 breast cancer. Surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation therapy as well as chemotherapy ...