Introduction to Ductal Carcinoma in Situ

Stages of Breast Cancer

Staging is the process of assessing how far the cancer has spread and is important in making treatment decisions and determining prognosis.

• Stage 0 - Noninvasive, Carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

• Stage I - Cancer cells have not spread beyond the breast and the tumor is no more than about an inch (2.5 cm or less) across

• Stage II - The tumor in the breast is less than 1 inch across and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, OR

  • the tumor is between 1 and 2 inches (less than 5.0 cm) with or without spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, OR
  • the tumor is larger than 2 inches (more than 5.0 cm) but has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm

• Stage III - "Locally advanced cancer" - The tumor in the breast is large (more than 2 inches across) and the cancer is extensive in the underarm lymph nodes or It has spread to other lymph nodes or tissues near the breast. This stage includes inflammatory breast cancer.

• Stage IV - The cancer is metastatic, meaning it has spread from the breast to other parts of body.

Recurrent breast cancer means the disease has recurred despite initial treatment. Most recurrences appear within the first 2 or 3 years but can occur many years later.