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Introduction
Staging of Breast Cancer
- any size tumor that is attached to the skin or to the wall of the chest
- the cancer may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes under the arm
- the cancer has not spread to any other part of the body
Stage IIIC
- a tumor of any size that has spread to the lymph nodes under the armpit and under the breast bone OR to lymph nodes either above or below the clavicle (collarbone)
- the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body
Stage IV
- any size tumor that has metastasized , meaning that it has spread, from the breast to other parts of body such as the liver, lungs, or bones.
- the lymph nodes may or may not contain cancer cells
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.
