Staging of breast cancer
Breast cancer is staged by size and how much spread has taken place.
Stage 0 is carcinoma in situ - the cells have started to change to cancer cells but have not moved out of their original site.
Stage I The cancer when removed is found to be less than 2 cm in diameter. No nodes are involved and no metastases have occurred to other organs.
On the pathology report this may appear T1, N0, M0 = Tumor tissue Type 1, Nodes 0, Metastases 0.
Stage 11A (2A)
The cancer is larger than 2 cm in diameter but less than 5 cm. (T0, N1, M0).
or no tumour is found in the breast but 1 to 3 lymph glands contain breast cancer cells (T1, N1, M0).
or the cancer is larger than 2 cm. but less than 5 cm. with no lymph nodes positive. (T2, N0, M0). No spread (metastases) to distant sites.
Stage 11B (2B)
Tumor size 2-5cm, plus 1 - 3 nodes positive, (T2, N1, M0) or
Tumor size 5cm+ but does not involve the chest wall, no nodes, no metastases. (T3,N0,M0).
No distant spread.
Stage 111A (3A)
Tumor size less than 5cm., 4 to 9 nodes involved, no distant spread (T2, N2, M0) or
Size 5cm.+, 1 to 9 nodes positive, no distant spread (T3, N1 or N2, M0)
Stage 111B (3B) Involvement of the chest wall or skin and spread to 0 - 9 lymph nodes. No distant spread.
Stage 1V: The cancer has spread to distant parts beyond the axillary lymph nodes. The commonest sites of spread are bone, lung, liver and brain.
