Breast Cancer Stages

Question: Does anyone know where to find "Understanding the Stages of Breast Cancer" by Eli Lilly? Understanding the Stages of Breast Cancer Lilly Pharmaceuticals AJCC Cancer Staging Manual 6th edition New York NY Springer-Verlag 2002:223-240 GC#48466

Answer: I did a search online, as I'm sure you did also, and came up empty. If I were you, I'd contact the pharmaceutical company website and see if they can help you. See the source link I posted. Good luck!

Question: Does most women with stage 2a breast cancer always have a recurrence? I know that it is rare for stage 1 breast cancer to come back later and metastasize, but is it for stage 2a breast cancer? Stage 2a means no lymph nodes involved.

Answer: I'm sorry, but your statement is very incorrect. This is from the National Cancer Institute: Stages of Breast Cancer Key Points for This Section After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body. There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. The following stages are used for breast cancer: Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ) Stage I Stage IIA Stage IIB Stage IIIA Stage IIIB Stage IIIC Stage IV After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body. The process used to find out whether the cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body. The three ways that cancer spreads in the body are: Through tissue. Cancer invades the surrounding normal tissue. Through the lymph system. Cancer invades the lymph system and travels through the lymph vessels to other places in the body. Through the blood. Cancer invades the veins and capillaries and travels through the blood to other places in the body. When cancer cells break away from the primary (original) tumor and travel through the lymph or blood to other places in the body, another (secondary) tumor may form. This process is called metastasis. The secondary (metastatic) tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the bones, the cancer cells in the bones are actually breast cancer cells. The disease is metastatic breast cancer, not bone cancer. The following stages are used for breast cancer: Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ) There are 2 types of breast carcinoma in situ: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct. The abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct to other tissues in the breast. In some cases, DCIS may become invasive cancer and spread to other tissues, although it is not known at this time how to predict which lesions will become invasive. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lobules of the breast. This condition seldom becomes invasive cancer; however, having lobular carcinoma in situ in one breast increases the risk of developing breast cancer in either breast. Enlarge Pea, peanut, walnut, and lime show tumor sizes. Stage I In stage I, cancer has formed. The tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and has not spread outside the breast. Stage IIA In stage IIA: no tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm); or the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes; or the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes. So, there is also no concrete evidence that it is "RARE" for stage I breast cancer to "come back" and "metastasize." When cancer "comes back," it is called a recurrence. When it has "metastasized," that means it has spread to another organ. These are two different situations. There are women who had been dx'd with stage 0 or stage I breast cancer, and leapt to stage IV in the blink of an eye. You just can't assume that stage I means a person is in the clear. Cancer doesn't play favorites. It may never come back for a woman who was diagnosed originally as a stage IIIb. This is why it is crucial for women to be extreme advocates for themselves and be in tune with their bodies. By the way, I was diagnosed as a stage IIa/IIb, and I fully intend on NOT having it come back.

Question: What are the symptoms of the late stages of breast cancer? I am having chest pain, breathing problems, arm and leg pain and my nipple is inverted somewhat.I'm worried, but my doc won't prescribe me an ultrasound for my breasts. (I am only 21.) He says I have nothing to worry about, but I am worried to death. Please help me.

Answer: You sound scared and very worried..First don't start thinking the worst..you need to see a physician who will sit down with you and give you a good physical and address all of your worries and pains. Fear can cause worsening or other physical complaints. Please call tomorrow and get a second opinion..

Question: breast cancer? Thanks to all who helped us before. My wife has breast cancer... Stage 3. Will she be able to survive? We have 2 children under 8. What is chemo like for the kids? How do you explain to little kids? They sense something is wrong...Thank you for your help

Answer: My heart felt prayers go out to you and your family. Your story is an all to familiar one to me. I have been through the stages of cancer, I have two children under 10. My husband and I sat the children down and explained to them that I was very sick and needed to see the doctors to make me better. That in doing so...mommy may have days where she may be very sick and need her rest, explain that as the medicine works to help mommy feel better that mommy may loose her hair, but it will grow back to be as beautiful as if was before. Reassure them that you love them and if they have questions to ask. I think the hardest thing that I had to answer from my daughter is if I was going to die. I found myself telling her the doctors are doing everything to prevent that from happening and mommy want to be here for a long time. But in the case the doctors cant fix mommy it could happen. I found being honest with my children helped them to express their feelings rather than being scared of the unknown. I'm sure you both are wonderful parents and when the time comes you will be able to explain it the right way. Good luck to you and your family.

Question: Breast Cancer : How long and how much for the hormone treatment? Hi, My wife is 32 and has a breast cancer stage 2A no lymph nodes involved. She is ER(estrogen) positive and PR low positive. We are going to meet the oncologist tomorrow. We heard that some people in similar case have to take hormone treatment for at least 5 years after Chemotherapy and some other people get injections. Are we going to have to pay for any of these and how long is usually the treatment? Thanks for your comment.

Answer: First of all, I want to tell you how sorry I am for your situation...I hate bc...it runs in my family and it really irritates me. A few months ago my grandma had a malignant tumor in both of her breasts and had a double mastectomy...she had no lymph nodes involved;she has HER2+ bc and is on tamoxifen daily, and takes Herceptin intravenously every three weeks (she has to do that for a year). I don't know what type of insurance you have, so I can't really tell you about the costs. I hope everything goes well at the oncologist tomorrow. In any case, one organization that can offer both you and your wife a lot of help and support is the American Cancer Society...I've been volunteering with them for years and they do a world of good. They can provide you with disease and treatment information, they can hook you up with a support group...and they also have a couple of really good programs for bc patients---"Reach to Recovery" and "Look Good Feel Better"--their website is www.cancer.org I wish both you and your wife the best!

Question: What is your advice? An elderly woman(87) has breast cancer in early stages and is slow growing. Her choices are to have a lumpectomy with 5 weeks of radiation, or total breast removal and no radiation. The other choice is do nothing which is my choice. The doctor said about 2 years is what he would expect her to live if she does nothing.

Answer: What does SHE want to do? It's her choice. Radiation and chemo are very difficult on a young and healthy person. I would opt for the surgery, but there can be complications at her age with infection etc. too. Still that is her best bet. If she chooses to let the illness do her in it won't be pleasant. I really don't know much about the radiation and how sick that might make her. Find out all you can about it all before decided and let it be her decision if she can make it. If it's up to you, I would still risk the surgery for a cure. If it does her in then at least it's quicker than the other two options. IT's a personal choice however and about quality of life at this stage.

Question: What kind of foods should a Breast cancer stage 2b patient avoid ? my doctor told me to avoid all red meat, chicken, etc. What food should I eat aside from fish , fruits and vegetables ? I used to be a fried chicken eater.

Answer: Everything and anything causes breast cancer these days according to one research or another, none of which are conclusive. The truth is they just don't really know. You can't/shouldn't totally eliminate variety from your diet. I was stage 2b also, hormone positive. Eat lean meats or trim fat from the meat you eat, limit red meat, maintain a healthy weight, and don't drink heavily and you'll be fine. Try organic raised meats. Girl I am from Georgia and I love fried chicken, lol, and I still eat it and have been a survivor for 3 years now, you'll be okay. oh yea, and I also heard that broccoli, cauliflower and greens are great at reducing the risk. My 6 year old son heard it on TV when I was diagnosed so I looked it up and sure enough there was page after page on the issue. Check into it and good luck to you! :)

Question: Stages of genetic testing with breast cancer? You can be genetically screened for breast cancer if it runs in your family, but what are the stages of being genetically screened? For example: the first stage is having a small blood sample taken from your finger.. then what happens?

Answer: The genetic screening for breast cancer is an actual blood test from your arm, not a prick on the finger. They are testing for two breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA 2. I had this done last year.

Question: When dealing with breast cancer, How many stages are there when determining how badd the cancer is ??

Answer: I've never heard of there being 5 stages, either. Just an addition to the stages listed, there can be stage 0, I, Ia, Ib, II, IIa, IIb, and so on. This all has to do with the size of the tumor and lymph node involvement. For example, my tumor was rather huge (7-10 cm), which automatically put me in the stage II section, but thankfully had no lymph nodes (which means that the cancer was contained within my breast). Therefore, I was classified as stage IIa/IIb. The only reason there is no definite classification for me is because the doctors could not get an exact reading of my tumor size, due to placement in the breast. I had to do pre-op chemo, which shrunk the tumor 99% (at least). It doesn't bother me that I don't officially know my staging. I'm satisfied at this point knowing that it hadn't hit the stage III point. The rest is in God's hands, right?

Question: how long does it take from breast cancer stage 2 to stage 3? My sister, 38 years old seem like to have stage 2, about 2 or 3 centimeter lump.

Answer: Breast cancer is staged. Not only will this allow for better understanding of the disease process, but it will also facilitate interpretation of data, and determine treatment. Prognosis is closely linked to results of staging. The AJCC-TNM system is commonly used to stage breast cancer: Summary of stages: Stage 0 - Carcinoma in situ Stage I - Tumor (T) does not exceed 2 cm, no axillary lymph nodes (N) involved. Stage IIA – T 2-5 cm, N negative, or T <2 cm and N positive. Stage IIB – T > 5 cm, N negative, or T 2-5 cm and N positive (< 4 axillary nodes). Stage IIIA – T > 5 cm, N positive, or T 2-5 cm with 4 or more axillary nodes Stage IIIB – T has penetrated chest wall or skin, and may have spread to < 10 axillary N Stage IIIC – T has > 10 axillary N, 1 or more supraclavicular or infraclavicular N, or internal mammary N. Stage IV – Distant metastasis (M) It is not necessary she has to go to Stage 3. If all the treatments Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation are given successfully the disease may get cured slowly. BUT CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA. Let us pray for her complete recovery. Best of luck

Question: How to define breast cancer stage ? Overall lump size is 2.6 cm, found both IDC and DCIS, and nodes negative. What is her stage?

Answer: Assuming there are no mets, it would be a stage IIA.

Question: I know what different stages of breast cancer are, but what about the grades of cancer what does it mean? My breast cancer grade is 2

Answer: Grading is a system for classifying cancer cells in terms of how abnormal they appear when examined under a microscope. The objective of a grading system is to provide information about the probable growth rate of the tumor and its tendency to spread. The systems used to grade tumors vary with each type of cancer. Grading plays a role in treatment decisions. Grading is from 1-4. Grade 2 means the tumor is "moderately differentiated". That means it is currently in one spot and probably will be easy to remove (it hasn't spread to the other organs and body tissue).

Question: what are the different stages of breast cancer? what are the stages if no treatment have been recieved

Answer: In stage 0, cancer cells are present in either the lining of a breast lobule or a duct, but they have not spread to the surrounding fatty tissue. This stage is also called ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS In stage I, cancer has spread from the lobules or ducts to nearby tissue in the breast. At this stage and beyond, breast cancer is considered to be invasive. The tumor is 2 cm or less in diameter (approximately 1 inch or less); cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes In stage II, the tumor can range from 2 cm to less than 5 cm in diameter (approximately 1 to 2 inches); sometimes cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes In stage IIIA, the tumor is 5 cm or greater in diameter (approximately 2 inches or greater); or the tumor may be of any size where cancer cells have grown extensively into axillary (underarm) lymph nodes

Question: How can I help my friend who has stage 3b breast cancer? A dear friend was recently diagnosed with stage 3b breast cancer and had an immediate double mastectomy. They also removed some of her lymph nodes. She had her first chemo session yesterday and she doesn't like to talk about what's going on very much. In what ways can I help, support, and love her?

Answer: Just be there for her. Help her with her chores etc. When she is ready to talk she will open up to you.

Question: is mastectomy really necessary for a stage 2 breast cancer patient? Is there any other alternatives? My mom have been diagnosed with a stage 2 breast cancer. the doctor wants her to undergo a mastectomy ( an operation where the whole breast will be removed). But she is scared to undergo such an operation and wants to opt for some herbal medicines that promises to heal cancer patients.

Answer: The decision is your mother's but I would opt for the surgery. She could possibly discuss the option af a lumpectomy with her oncologist, this may be a viable alternative in her case. I would be wanting scientific proof before I put my trust in herbal remedies, either that or be at a point where Dr's are saying there is nothing further they can do. I have yet to hear anything other than anecdotal evidence for herbal cures. If she goes down the herbal remedy track she may find that by the time she gives up on this and returns to the oncologist they are unagle to treat the spread of her cancer. Chances of recovery after mastectomy are high, if treatment starts early.

Question: Are all stage 1 breast cancer patients with no lymph node involvement recommended to take chemo? What if a person has stage 1 breast cancer with no lymph node involvemet and have estrogen and progesterone negative tumors, will chemo strongly be recommended for that person especially if they are young? Also, I would like to know are positive estrogen and progesterone tumors very slow growing tumors? Are negative tumors faster growing?

Answer: Ok....trying to think back. I was diagnosed when I was 29. I was a stage 2 because of the size of one of the tumors. I had no lymph node involvement. I am er+, I had DCIS and invasive tumors, and I am Her2+ which means that my cancer was a little more agressive. I was strongly encouraged to do chemo because of my age when I was diagnosed, and I think for us early stage breast cancer folks, that is always the case....but I could be wrong. It's been 4 years and I still blame chemo brain. Anyway, I hope I answered your questions a little. Good luck!