Breast cancer staging is used to determine the extent of the tumor. Treatment selection is determined by the stage of the tumor. Staging gives information about the prognosis (course) of the disease.
Today, the TNM classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) is used in breast cancer staging.
T: Diameter of the tumor in the breast
N: The state of the lymph nodes adjacent to the breast
M: The spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body
Preoperative clinical staging is necessary for surgical planning.
What are the Stages of Breast Cancer?
Stage 0: DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) The tumor has just started to form. LKIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ) The tumor has just started to form.
Stage 1: T1 (Tumor is smaller than 2 cm) N0 (No axillary lymph node spread)
Stage 2 A: T0 ( There is no tumor in the breast) N1 (There is spread in 1-3 Lymph Nodes in the armpit) T1 (Tumor is smaller than 2 cm) N1 (There is spread in 1-3 Lymph Nodes in the armpit) T2 (Tumor is between 2-5 cm) N0 (Lymph Node in the Armpit no spread)
Stage 2 B: T2 (Tumor between 2-5 cm) N1 (There is spread in 1-3 Lymph Nodes in the armpit) T3 (Tumor is larger than 5 cm) N0 (No spread of Lymph Nodes in the armpit )
Stage 3 A: T0 (No tumor in the breast) N2 (There is spread in lymph nodes 4-9 in the armpit) T1-T2 (Tumor is smaller than 5 cm) N2 (Spread in lymph nodes 4-9 in the armpit yes)T3 (Tumor larger than 5 cm) N1, N2
Stage 3 B: T4 (Tumor of any size and adjacent tissue (skin, muscle involvement) (N0,N1, N2)Inflammatory breast cancer , (If there is widespread lymph node spread around the breast (N3) Stage 3C) Stage 3 C: T1, T2, T3, N3 (There is widespread spread in the Lymph Nodes around the breast)
Stage 4: Any T , Any N, M1 (Presence of Distant Metastasis)
When it comes to early stage breast cancer; Stage I, Stage IIA, Stage IIB (T2N1) cancers come to mind.
When locally advanced breast cancer is mentioned; Stage IIB (T3N0), Stage III cancers,
When it comes to metastatic breast cancer; Stage IV cancers come to mind.
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