Different stages of breast cancer
Once a person is diagnosed with cancer , his or her physician will try to determine how far the illness has progressed , including whether or not it has spread to other areas of the body . This effort is known as “ staging .” Each cancer has its unique staging characteristics , and breast cancer is no different .
The stage of the cancer ultimately refers to how much cancer is present in the body , indicates the American Cancer Society . Doctors treating breast cancer adhere to the TNM staging system , which is overseen by the American Joint Committee on Cancer . This staging uses both clinical and pathological ( surgical ) systems for breast cancer staging . Pathological staging may be more accurate because it examines tissues taken during surgery or a biopsy .
T categories
T in the staging system refers to the tumor ’ s size and whether it has spread to the skin or chest wall under the breast . Higher numbers refer to larger tumors and greater spread . TX : A primary tumor cannot be assessed . T0 : No evidence of primary tumor . T1 : Tumor is 2 centimeters ( cm ) or less across . T2 : Tumor is more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm across . T3 : Tumor is more than 5 cm across . T4 : Tumor is of any size growing into the chest wall or skin .
N categories
N in the staging system identifies if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes near the breast , and if so , how many .
NX : Nearby lymph nodes cannot be assessed , which can happen if they were previously removed . N0 : Cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes . N1 : Cancer has spread to one to three axillary ( underarm ) lymph node ( s ), and / or cancer is found in internal mammary lymph nodes ( those near the breast bone ) on a sentinel lymph node biopsy .
N2 : Cancer has spread to four to nine lymph nodes under the arm . One or more area of cancer spread is larger than 2 millimeters ( mm ).
N3 : Cancer has spread to any of the following : 10 or more axillary lymph nodes with area of cancer spread greater than 2 mm ; to lymph nodes under the collarbone , with at least one area of cancer spread greater than 2 mm ; cancer found in at least one axillary lymph node ( with at least one area of cancer spread greater than 2 mm ) and has enlarged the internal mammary lymph nodes ; cancer in four or more axillary lymph nodes ( with at least one area of cancer spread greater than 2 mm ), and to the internal mammary lymph nodes on a sentinel lymph node biopsy ; to the lymph nodes above the collarbone on the same side of the cancer with at least one area of cancer spread greater than 2 mm .
M categories
M indicates if the cancer has spread to distant organs . M0 : No distant spread is present on X-rays or other imaging and physical tests . M1 : Cancer has spread to other organs , notably the brain , bones , liver or lungs as determined by a biopsy or testing .
■ Once a person is diagnosed with cancer , his or her physician will try to determine how far the illness has progressed , including whether or not it has spread to other areas of the body . This effort is known as “ staging .” Each cancer has its unique staging characteristics , and breast cancer is no different .
The stage of the cancer ultimately refers to how much cancer is present in the body , indicates the American Cancer Society . Doctors treating breast cancer adhere to the TNM staging system , which is overseen by the American Joint Committee on Cancer . This staging uses both clinical and pathological ( surgical ) systems for breast cancer staging . Pathological staging may be more accurate because it examines tissues taken during surgery or a biopsy .
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Note that this staging system also uses sub-stages within each category , which further breaks down breast cancer staging into more characteristics and combinations . The ACS says there are so many possibilities that can go into staging that two women at the same breast cancer stage may have different experiences .
Any sign of an abnormality in the breast or body merits a consultation with a doctor , who can determine if breast cancer is present . Lower numbers on TNM staging are desired , and can be achieved by catching breast cancer early .
18 Health Matters