There are actually six different breast cancer stages (counting the 2 stages in stage three) and they can be briefly described as follows:
Stage 0 - This stage is used to describe non-invasive breast cancer. There is no evidence of cancer cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which it started, or of getting through to or invading neighbouring normal tissue.
Stage I - This stage describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighbouring normal tissue) in which the tumour measures up to 2 centimetres, and no lymph nodes are involved.
Stage II - This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which the tumour measures at least 2 centimetres, but not more than 5 centimetres, OR cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm on the same side as the breast cancer. Affected lymph nodes have not yet stuck to one another or to the surrounding tissues, a sign that the cancer has not yet advanced to stage III. (The tumour in the breast can be any size.)
Stage III - Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA and IIIB.
Stage IIIA - Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which the tumour measures larger than 5 centimetres, OR there is significant involvement of lymph nodes. The nodes clump together or stick to one another or surrounding tissue. Stage IIIB - This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which a tumour of any size has spread to the breast skin, chest wall, or internal mammary lymph nodes (located beneath the breast right under the ribs, inside the middle of the chest).
Stage IIIB includes inflammatory breast cancer, a very uncommon but very serious, aggressive type of breast cancer. The most distinguishing feature of inflammatory breast cancer is redness involving part or all of the breast. The redness feels warm. You may see puffiness of the breast's skin that looks like the peel of a navel orange ("peau d'orange"), or even ridges, welts, or hives. And part or all of the breast may be enlarged and hard. A lump is present only half of the time. Inflammatory breast cancer is sometimes misdiagnosed as a simple infection.
Stage IV - This stage includes invasive breast cancer in which a tumour has spread beyond the breast, underarm, and internal mammary lymph nodes, AND a tumour may have spread to the supraclavicular lymph nodes (nodes located at the base of the neck, above the collarbone), lungs, liver, bone, or brain. "Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV. Well, there you have it, all the breast cancer stages in a nutshell.
Author J.G.Michel Caner-Help-Treatment Picture © akirsa
