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Breast Cancer Stages
| Stages of breast cancer |
Explanation |
| Stage 0 (Carcinoma in situ) |
There are 2 types of carcinoma in situ:
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non invasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lobules of the breast. |
| Stage I |
Cancer has formed. Tumor is 2 cm or smaller and has not spread beyond the breast |
| Stage IIA |
No tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm); or
The tumor is 2 cm or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes; or
The tumor is between 2 and 5 cm, but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes |
| Stage IIB |
Tumor is between 2 and 5 cm and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes; or
larger than 5 cm but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes |
| Stage IIIA |
No tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is found in axillary lymph node or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone; or
Tumor is 2 cm or smaller. Cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone; or
Tumor is between 2 and 5 cm. Cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone; or
Tumor is larger than 5 cm but has spread to the axillary lymph nodes or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone |
| Stage IIIB |
Tumor may be any size and cancer
has spread to the chest wall, and/or the skin of the breast; andmay have spread to axillary lymph nodes or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone |
| Stage IIIC |
There may be no sign of cancer in the breast or the tumor may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast. Also, cancer
has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone; and
may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or lymph nodes near the breastbone
Cancer that has spread to the skin of the breast is inflammatory breast cancer.
Stage IIIC breast cancer is divided into operable and inoperable stage IIIC.
Operable: the cancer is found in 10 or more axillary lymph nodes, or is found in lymph nodes below the collarbone, or is found in axillary lymph nodes and in lymph nodes near the breastbone
In inoperable stage IIIC breast cancer, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes above the collarbone. |
| Stage IV |
Cancer has spread to other organs of the body, most often the bones, lungs, liver, or brain |
Source: U.S. National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer (PDQ®): Treatment. Patient Version. Last Modified: 02/07/2008. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/patient/page2
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