Stages of Cancer

Stage 0

Cancer cells remain inside the breast duct, without invasion into normal adjacent breast tissue

TIS

Carcinoma in situ

Stage IIIB

Considered inflammatory breast cancer at this stage

N2

Large lymph node involvement

MX

Metastasis not assessed

N3

Near the clavicle

N0

Negative for lymph node involvement

Stage IIA

No tumor can be found in breast, but cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIIA

No tumor found in the breast. Cancer is found in the axillary lymph nodes that are sticking or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone

T0

No tumor present

NX

Nodes not assessed

N1

Positive for lymph node involvement

Stage IV

The cancer has spread - or metastasized - to the other parts of the body

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 sticking, or cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes near the breastbone.

Stage 1B

There is no tumor in the breast; Instead, small groups of cancer cells are found in lymph nodes OR there is a tumor in the breast that is larger than 2 cm and small group of cancer cells - larger than .2 mm but not larger than 2 mm in the lymph nodes

Stage IIIC

There may be either 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 the lymph nodes near the breastbone.

T2

Tumor 2-5cm

T1

Tumor <2cm

T3

Tumor >5cm

T4

Tumor Ulcerating, extending into chest wall

Stage IIIA

Tumor is any size. Cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes which are sticking together or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breast bone

Stage IIB

Tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 cm and has spread to axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIB

Tumor is larger than 5 cm but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIA

Tumor larger than 2 cm but less than 5cm and has not spread to axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIA

Tumor measures 2 cm or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage 1A

Tumor measures up to 2cm AND the cancer has not spread outside the breast

TX

Tumor not assessed

M0

no distant mets

M1

positive for distant mets