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Staging of Breast Cancer


                      | Stage 0 | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 |

Your stage of breast cancer refers to how extensive the cancer is, on a scale from stage 0 to stage 4.

A commonly used staging system for breast cancer is described below :

Stage 0

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) means that cancer cells are found in the lining of the lobules of the breast. LCIS seldom becomes invasive cancer as it has not spread into the surrounding breast tissue. However, having LCIS in one breast increases the risk of cancer for both breasts.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells lining a duct. The abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct. They have not invaded the nearby breast tissue. Women with DCIS have an increased risk of getting invasive breast cancer in that breast if not get early detection. Treatment options are similar to patients with Stage I breast cancers.


This picture shows ductal carcinoma in situ.

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Stage 1

  • The tumor is less that 2 cm (three-quarters of an inch) across.
  • The lymph nodes in the armpit are not affected.
  • The cancer has not spread.




This picture shows cancer cells spreading outside the duct.
The cancer cells are invading nearby tissue inside the breast.

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Stage 2   is further divided into 2 groups:
Stage 2A

  • The tumour is less than 2 cm, the lymph nodes under the arm contain cancer but are not stuck to each other and the cancer has not spread or
  • The tumour is less than 5 cm, there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes in the armpit and the cancer has not spread or
  • Although no tumour is seen in the breast, the lymph nodes under the arm contain cancer cells but are not stuck together, and there is no sign of spread to other parts of the body.

Stage 2B
  • The tumour is less than 5 cm and the lymph nodes under the arm contain cancer cells but are not stuck to each other, and the cancer has not spread or
  • The tumour is bigger than 5 cm across, there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes in the armpit and the cancer has not spread.

Comparison of tumor size with a battery size.

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Stage 3  is further divided into 3 groups:
Stage 3A
  • Although no tumour is seen in the breast, the lymph nodes under the arm contain cancer cells and are stuck together, but there is no sign of cancer spread or
  • The tumour is 5 cm or less, the lymph nodes in the armpit contain cancer cells and are stuck to each other, but the cancer has not spread elsewhere or
  • The tumour is more than 5 cm, the lymph nodes in the armpit contain cancer cells and may be stuck together, but there is no further spread.

Stage 3B
  • The tumour is fixed to the skin or chest wall, the lymph nodes may or may not contain cancer cells, but there is no further spread.

Stage 3C
  • The tumour can be any size and has spread to lymph nodes in the armpit and under the breast bone, or to nodes above or below the collarbone, but there is no further spread.

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Stage 4

  • The tumour can be any size.
  • The lymph nodes may or may not contain cancer cells.
  • The cancer has spread or metastasised to other parts of the body such as the lungs, liver or bones.

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