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• Treatments for Stage II Breast Cancer - Treatment of stage II breast cancer may include the following:

  • Breast-conserving surgery to remove only the cancer and some surrounding breast tissue, followed by lymph node dissection and radiation therapy.
  • Modified radical mastectomy with or without breast reconstruction surgery

• Outcome Data for Stage II Breast Cancer

One study found that adding chemotherapy to tamoxifen improved survival at 5 years in women with lymph node negative, estrogen receptor positive early breast cancer.

One review found that adjuvant tamoxifen taken for up to 5 years reduced the risk of recurrence and death in women with estrogen receptor positive tumors irrespective of age, menopausal status, node involvement, or the addition of chemotherapy.

• Prognosis for Stage II Breast Cancer

The 5-year survival rate for Stage II Breast cancer is 81-92%

Stage III Breast Cancer

• Definition of Stage III - "Locally advanced cancer" - This stage is divided into 3 groups:

  • Stage IIIA

    • no tumor is visible in the breast, however, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (which are stuck together) but the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body; OR
    • the tumor is small (5 cm or less) and the cancer has spread to lymph nodes under the armpit (which are stuck together) but the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body; OR
    • the tumor is large (more than 5 cm) and the cancer has spread to lymph nodes under the armpit (which may or may not stuck together) but the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body

  • Stage IIIB

    • 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

• Treatments for Stage III Breast Cancer - Treatment of Stage III breast cancer may include the following:

  • Breast-conserving surgery to remove only the cancer and some surrounding breast tissue, followed by lymph node dissection and radiation therapy
  • Modified radical mastectomy with or without breast reconstruction surgery
  • Systemic chemotherapy
  • Systemic chemotherapy followed by surgery (breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy), with lymph node dissection followed by radiation therapy. Additional systemic therapy (chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or both) may be given.

• Outcome Data for Stage III Breast Cancer

One study found that hormonal treatments (tamoxifen or ovarian ablation) plus radiation delayed local recurrence and improved survival at 8 years in locally advanced breast cancer compared with radiation therapy alone.

• Prognosis for Stage III Breast Cancer

Risk of recurrence is highest during the firsts 5 years, but the risk remains even 15-20 years after surgery. Those with node positive disease have a 50-60% chance of recurrence, compared with 30-35% for node negative disease. Recurrence at 10 years, according to one review, is 60-70% compared with 25-30% of node negative women. The prognosis for disease free survival at 5 years is worse for more advanced Stage III B (33%) than for earlier Stage III A (71%). Five year overall survival is 44% for Stage III B and 84% for Stage III A.

Stage IV Breast Cancer