Understanding Stages of Breast Cancer

Learning the basics of Breast Cancer helps us cope with it better. Fear is a normal reaction, however, it is better that we also know the signs and symptoms to be able to deal with it better.

Cancer means abnormal proliferation of cancer cells. In the case of Breast Cancer, the cancer cells has develop in the breast tissues.

The behavior of  cancer cells is attributed to  the failure of one cell, produced by a mother cell, to undergo apoptysis or cell death. When these cycle continues, the number of cancer cells multiply over time which puts the affected organ in fatal condition. These accumulation of cancer cells are manifested through tumors which can be benign and malignant.

             The tumors referred as benign are non-cancerous.They remain to be encapsulated, and does not infiltrate other tissues. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, are cancerous cells which harms other tissues. They have the tendency to invade other tissue even distal  part of the organ mainly affected by cancer.

Breast cancer is described according to its severity and extent of cancel cell damage through staging.

Stages of Breast Cancer

Stage	Definition
Stage 0	Cancer cells remain inside the breast duct, without invasion into normal adjacent breast tissue.
Stage I	Cancer is 2 centimeters or less and is confined to the breast (lymph nodes are clear).
Stage IIA	No tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm) OR the tumor measures 2 centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes OR the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage IIB	The tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes OR the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA	No tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone OR the tumor is any size. Cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, which are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Stage IIIB	The tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast AND may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone. Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least stage IIIB.
Stage IIIC	There may either be no sign of cancer in the breast or a tumor may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast AND the cancer has spread to lymph nodes either above or below the collarbone AND the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Stage IV	The cancer has spread — or metastasized — to other parts of the body.

          These stages will not only teach us the severity of the problem but the type of care we give. This will also lessen the fear as we are informed of the condition of the patient. These patients may either be strangers, our love ones or us.


         There will be nothing about cancer that will keep us calm and at peace. However, we will be able to think well as soon as we learn to accept the reality of the situation. And the reality is that, Breast cancer or Cancer in general exists and it can happen to everyone of us. The best way to deal with it is to bravely know about it and intervene in accordance to what the cancer stage needs.