Breast Cancer Stages
Breast cancer is divided into five different stages. Stage is used to describe the extent of breast cancer based on tumor size and whether or not the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes or distant sites such as bones, liver, lung, or brain. It is important to know that staging is unique to each type of cancer. So staging criteria for breast cancer is different from other types of cancer.
Recurrent breast cancer is when cancer returns after its initial diagnosis and treatment.
Stage 0, or ductal carcinoma in situ, is the earliest form of breast cancer.
Stage I breast cancer is an early form of disease that is highly treatable.
Stage II breast cancer indicates that abnormal cells are growing, but are contained to the breast and lymph nodes.
A stage III breast cancer diagnosis indicates that cancerous cells have begun to grow and spread to lymph nodes and nearby muscles.
Stage IV breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, is breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.