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