know the Stages of Breast Cancer, Physicians assess the stage of breast cancer upon diagnosis to tailor the most suitable treatment and forecast your prognosis and likelihood of recovery.
know the Stages of Breast Cancer
Following a diagnosis of breast cancer, the staging process delves into the scope and attributes of the cancer.
Breast cancer staging involves a comprehensive evaluation of various factors, including the tumor’s size and location, as well as whether cancer cells have metastasized to lymph nodes or other regions of the body..
This article elucidates the methods employed by doctors to determine breast cancer staging and offers an overview of each stage of the disease.
How is breast cancer staging determined?
The primary staging system for breast cancer, as per the American Cancer Society (ACS), is developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer, commonly known as the TNM system. This system classifies breast cancer based on:
- T: Tumor size
- N: Presence or absence of cancer in nearby lymph nodes
- M: Spread of cancer to distant lymph nodes or other organs
In 2018, the system was updated to incorporate additional factors known as biomarkers into breast cancer staging. These include:
- Hormone receptor and HER2 status of the cancer refer to the assessment of the cancer’s response to hormones and the presence of the HER2 protein.
- Grade of the cancer, indicating how it compares to typical breast tissue
- Oncotype DX, a gene expression test predicting the likelihood of cancer spreading
After evaluating these factors, your cancer will be assigned an overall stage, with five stages ranging from 0 to 4.
Biomarkers and Staging
The inclusion of biomarkers has considerably heightened the complexity of breast cancer staging compared to other types of cancers. For instance:
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Cancers that might have previously been categorized as more advanced may now receive a less advanced stage, influenced by specific biomarkers that render the cancer more manageable.
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Conversely, cancers that might have been assigned a lower stage could now be classified as more advanced if biomarkers suggest a higher potential for rapid growth and spread.
Given the intricate nature of factors influencing staging, this article will predominantly concentrate on the TNM aspects of the staging process.
What is stage 0 breast cancer?
Stage 0 breast cancer refers to a noninvasive type known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In this stage, cancerous cells are located within the ducts of the breast but have not spread further into the surrounding breast tissue.
A note on breast cancer symptoms
Breast cancer symptoms can vary widely among individuals, irrespective of the cancer stage. Some may not exhibit any noticeable symptoms, while others may undergo visible changes in the breast.
As per the ACS, a painless breast lump is the most common symptom of breast cancer. Additional potential symptoms may encompass:
– Swollen lymph nodes, particularly under the arms or near the collarbone
– Breast or nipple pain
– Breast swelling, even if confined to a specific area
– Alterations to the skin of the breast, including dimpling, thickening, redness, scaliness, or flakiness
– Nipple discharge, possibly containing blood
– Inverted nipple
What is stage 1 breast cancer?
Stage 1 breast cancer marks the initial phase of invasive breast cancer, signifying the spread of cancer cells from their original site into surrounding noncancerous breast tissue.
Stage 1 breast cancer is further categorized into two subtypes: 1A and 1B.
**Stage 1A:**
In stage 1A, the tumor measures no more than 2 centimeters (cm) and has not extended beyond the breast or reached nearby lymph nodes.
**Stage 1B:**
For stage 1B cancers, a detectable tumor may be absent, or if present, it is 2 cm or smaller. Additionally, small groups of cancer cells are identified in nearby lymph nodes.
What is stage 2 breast cancer?
Similar to stage 1 breast cancer, stage 2 breast cancer is subdivided into two categories: stage 2A and 2B.
**Stage 2A:**
In stage 2A, there may be no tumors in the breast, or if present, they measure less than 2 cm. The cancer has also spread to up to three lymph nodes, either under the arm or near the breastbone. In some cases, a stage IIA tumor may be larger (between 2 and 5 cm), but it has not yet spread to nearby lymph nodes.
**Stage 2B:**
Stage 2B breast cancers range in size from 2 to 5 cm. They may exhibit small groups of cancer cells in nearby lymph nodes, or the cancer may have spread to up to three lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone. Some stage 2B breast cancers may exceed 5 cm in size, but they haven’t spread to nearby lymph nodes.
What is stage 3 breast cancer?
Stage 3 breast cancer is categorized into three subtypes: 3A, 3B, and 3C.
**Stage 3A:**
In certain instances of stage 3A breast cancer, no detectable tumor may be found in the breast. Alternatively, the tumor, if present, can be of any size. The cancer has spread to between four and nine lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone. In other cases, the tumor may be larger than 5 cm but has only spread to up to three lymph nodes in the same areas.
**Stage 3B:**
Stage 3B breast cancer involves a tumor of any size that has also spread to the chest wall, the skin of the breast, or both. It may further extend to up to nine lymph nodes under the arm or to lymph nodes around the collarbone.
**Stage 3C:**
In stage 3C breast cancer, the tumor can be of any size and has extended into the chest wall, the skin of the breast, or both. Additionally, this stage of cancer has spread to lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone, as well as lymph nodes around the collarbone, with 10 or more lymph nodes affected.
What is stage 4 breast cancer?
Stage 4 breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, occurs when the cancer has advanced beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to distant lymph nodes and tissues.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), common sites for breast cancer metastasis include the bones, brain, liver, and lungs. A 2017 study reported that metastasis to the bones was most prevalent, followed by the lungs, liver, and brain. Additionally, some general symptoms of metastatic cancer include fatigue, weakness, unintentional weight loss, and pain at or around the site of metastasis.
The SEER database of the NCI tracks cancer rates and survival statistics, classifying stages into localized, regional, and distant categories. The 5-year survival rates for breast cancer, according to the SEER database, are as follows:
– Localized breast cancer: 99.3%
– Regional breast cancer: 86.3%
– Distant breast cancer: 31%
– Overall: 90.8%
Discussing Prognosis
When addressing your outlook, it is crucial to engage in conversations with your healthcare team, focusing on individual considerations rather than heavily relying on generalized statistics. Statistics lack the ability to account for personal factors such as age and overall health. Moreover, these figures are derived from broad datasets spanning extended periods, potentially not capturing recent advancements in diagnosis and treatment. Notably, the breast cancer death rate has consistently declined since 1989, according to information from the American Cancer Society (ACS), a highly esteemed international organization.
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