If someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, the doctors will try to figure out what the stage of the cancer is. It is important to figure out the stage as it helps the doctor to decide the treatment accordingly. The process of figuring out how much cancer is in the body is called staging. Physical exams, X-rays, biopsy, blood tests, etc. help in giving an idea about it.
What is the condition of cancer at different stages?
The stage ranges from 1 to 4, and Stage 0 is the early stage. A lower number of the stage means that less cancer has spread in the body, and similarly, a higher number means cancer has significantly increased to more areas.
Stage 0 – In Stage 0, cancer starts in the breast or milk glands but has not spread and has stayed there. It is also known as carcinoma, which means that the abnormal cells have remained where they were first formed.
Stage 1 – Stage 1 breast cancer is also known as the invasive stage because, at this stage, it has started to attack healthy tissues and has broken free.
- Stage 1A – In Stage 1A, cancer has spread into the fatty breast tissue, and there can be a tumor.
- Stage 1B – In Stage 1B, some cancer cells can be found in a few lymph nodes but in small amounts.
Stage 2 – Stage 2 breast cancer means that cancer has either spread or grown or both.
- Stage 2A – Stage 2A means that if there is a tumor, it is still small and may not have spread to any lymph nodes, but in case if it has, it can advance to a maximum of 3 lymph nodes.
- Stage 2B – Stage 2B means that the tumor has now grown and is now larger in size and could have spread to multiple lymph nodes.
Stage 3 – Stage 3 is considered as a hard-to-fight, advanced stage, but it has still not spread to organs or bones.
- Stage 3A – In Stage 3A, cancer can spread to a maximum of nine lymph nodes that are connected from collarbone to underarm. There can be a tumor in the breast.
- Stage 3B – In Stage 3B, if it has not spread to lymph nodes, it has grown into the chest and around the breast skin.
- Stage 3C – In Stage 3C, cancer can spread to 10 lymph nodes or more and can advance above or below the collar bone.
Stage 4 – The cancer cells have spread and can be in the bones, lungs, brain, and liver. Stage 4 is known as metastatic because now it has spread from where it was first found.
How is breast cancer staging determined?
The Staging for Breast cancer is a routine system that is used to determine the stage of breast cancer. There are clinical and pathological staging systems for breast cancer.
Pathological stage: This stage is determined by examining tissue that is removed during an operation and hence also known as the surgical stage.
Clinical Stage: Clinical stage is when surgery is not possible right away or not possible at all. Physical exam, biopsy, and imaging tests are used and based on their outcome, this stage is initiated.
Basically a breast cancer staging calculator and helps oncologist in Ahmedabad to determine the state of cancer cells and decide the treatment accordingly. It is highly recommended that if you feel any abnormality around the breast area or any area of your body, visit a cancer specialist Ahmedabad. Airavat Cancer Care is cancer hospital in Ahmedabad and provides breast specialist doctor in Ahmedabad in the most secure manner possible. We have the reputation of the best oncologist in Ahmedabad. It is important to act quickly in such cases. The early it gets detected and the lower the number of the stage is, the better the survival rates are.
