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Breast Cancer Stage IV
Staging
When first diagnosed with Breast Cancer, the cancer is staged
depending on size and lymph node involvement. The stages are 0, I, II, III
and IV. Why a site that focuses on Stage IV?
Because early stages with no lymph node involvement are considered curable,
Stage IV is not. (It must be noted, however, that some women in early stage
with no lymph node involvement HAVE metastasized.) For more information on
the complexities of individual staging (which involves hormone receptor types,
ten types of Carcinomas and Paget's Disease), please go here:
Web
Path: The Internet Pathology Laboratory
Stage 0: Tumor is detectable only by mammogram or thermogram. No other involvement.
5 year survival rate = 98%; 7 year survival rate = 95%
Stage I: Tumor is 2 centimeters (3/4 inch) or smaller. Axillary lymph
nodes are negative and there is no evidence of distant metastases.
5 year survival rate = 96%; 7 year survival rate = 92%
Stage II: Tumor is larger than 2 and up to 5 centimeters (3/4 to
2 inches) in size. Axillary lymph nodes may or may not be positive for cancer.
(If tumor
is smaller than 2 centimeters and lymph nodes are positive, cancer is considered
Stage II.)
5 year survival rate = 81%; 7 year survival rate = 71%
Stage
III: Tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and axillary lymph
nodes are positive. Tumor may extend into the pectoral muscle or into the
skin of the breast, but there are no distant metastases.
5 year survival rate = 52%; 7 year survival rate = 39%
Stage IV: If
metastasis to other organs or bones has occurred, cancer is considered
Stage 4 regardless of the size of the tumor in the breast or number of
axillary lymph nodes affected.
5 year survival rate = 18%; 7 year survival rate = 11%
Each stage is further broken down into A and B levels.
~ Definitions from Department of Defense "Breast
Cancer Decision Guide." (Site closed.)
~ Prognoses from Web Path: The Internet Pathology Laboratory
Diana Campbell, Survivor -- Breast Cancer Stage IV
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