Breast Cancer StagesUnderstanding the information about breast cancer stages and groups can be confusing. On this page, the staging classification is covered and the various stage groups of breast cancer are reviewed. Breast Cancer Staging SystemsMost of the information available for the classification of breast cancer stages uses the TNM system. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) established the TNM system. Breast cancer stages are established using this system. Stages have also been grouped into staging groups. So you may see information out there with numerical stage numbers (i.e. Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2, etc.). These are stage groups. The actual stage refers back to the TNM system.All of the stages or groups refer to the same 3 points of information about the breast cancer:
2. Lymph node 3. Metastasis (cancer spreading beyond the breast and lymph nodes)
Tumor Size and Breast Cancer StagesBreast cancer tumors are typically measured in centimeters (cm). 2.54 centimeters is the same size as 1 inch, or about the size of a quarter. Breast tumors may not grow in a perfect circle; they could have very irregular edges.Larger tumors are typically associated with a lower survival rate. Now, there are several factors that contribute to survival – tumor size alone does not determine potential survival. But it is important to note that survival rates drop from the mid to high 90% level for tumors smaller than 2 cm to below 70% for tumors larger than 5 cm. The relative survival rates stated above are for breast cancer survivors who lived at least five years. This change in survival potential is very significant. Lymph NodesLymph nodes are like filters (kind of). Fluid from the body tissues passes through the lymph vessels to the lymph nodes before it makes its way back into the blood supply. These nodes are located throughout our bodies and are usually in groups or clusters. Different groups of lymph nodes “filter” certain areas of the body. For our purposes, the lymph nodes under the arms (axillary nodes) are responsible for handling fluid from the breast tissues. There are nodes near the center of the chest (sternum) called the mammary nodes. When cancer cells from the invasive cancer in the breast make their way to these lymph nodes, the lymph nodes are said to be “involved.”MetastasisMetastasis refers to when the cancer cells have traveled beyond the breast and lymph nodes and are growing in another part of the body, like the bones or lungs.Breast Cancer Stages and GroupsBelow are links to the various breast cancer stage groups and more detailed information on the TNM staging system. Click below to understand more about each breast cancer stage grouping. Also below is a link to the overall 5 year survival rates for each stage grouping.Stage 0
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