stages
Stage 0
Stage IB
Stage 4
- During this stage there is no evidence of cancer cells in the breast.
- This stage refers to invasive cancers and is broken down into two additional categories IA and IB.
- The tumor can be up measure to be 2 centimeters and has not reached the outside of the breast.
Stage IB
- During this stage no tumor is present, however the cancer cells are in small groups measuring from 0.2 millimeters to 2 millimeters in the lymph nodes.
- This stage refers to invasive cancers and is broken down into two additional categories IIA and IIB.
- No tumor is present however, the cancer (more than 2 millimeters) is located in 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or they can be located in the lymph nodes under the breast bone.
- Tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and has expanded to axillary lymph nodes.
- Tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but smaller than 5 centimeters and has not expanded to the axillary lymph nodes.
- Tumor is bigger than 2 centimeters but smaller than 5 cenitmeters and small cancer groups are present in the lymph nodes.
- Tumor is bigger than 2 centimeters but smaller than 5 cenitmeters and small cancer groups are present. The cancer has expanded to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or they can be located in the lymph nodes near the breast bone.
- Tumor is bigger than 5 centimeters however it has not expanded to axillary lymph nodes.
- This stage is broken down into three additional categories IIIA, IIIB, IIIC.
- No tumor is present or the tumor can vary in size. However cancer is located in 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes or they can be located in the lymph nodes near the breast bone.
- Tumor is bigger than 5 centimeters with small cancer cells located in the lymph nodes.
- Tumor is bigger than 5 centimeters and cancer has expanded to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or they can be located in the lymph nodes near the breast bone.
- Tumor can vary in size and has expanded to the chest wall
- May have expanded to 9 axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near breast bone.
- Refers to invasive cancer and there may not be a sign of cancer within the breast. But if there is the cancer it can vary in size and could have expanded to the chest wall.
- Cancer has expanded to 10 or more axillary lymph nodes or they can be located in the lymph nodes near the breast bone.
- Cancer has expanded to lymph nodes which can be above or below the collarbone.
Stage 4
- This stage refers to invasive breast cancer which has expanded pass the breast and into other organs of the body.