Breast Cancer Staging: Everything You Need to Know

Around the globe, breast cancer is increasing in prevalence. It is rare to see it in men. When a tumour is moved to another body area, it can spread to lymph nodes. The stage of cancer determines how it is treated. Many treatments are available, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, hormonal balance and other treatments.

A Review of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer refers to a condition where breast cells grow uncontrollably. There are many types. The type of breast cancer is determined by the number of cancerous cells in the breast.

Breast cancer can occur in many places within the breast. The three main components of a breast are lobules and ducts. Connective tissue is also a component. The lobules are the glands responsible for making milk.

The ducts are tube-like structures carrying milk from the breast to the nipple. Connective tissue, composed of fibrous and fatty tissue, holds all this together. It is usually found within the lobules or ducts.

Breast Cancer Stage

There are five stages of breast cancer:

• Stage 0 (zero) refers to noninvasive ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS).
• Stages I through IV (1-4) are used to diagnose invasive breast carcinoma.

Experts will determine the best treatment for the patient based on their cancer stage. Staging can be done before or after surgery. The doctor’s diagnosis determines the stage of cancer.

The staging is determined by physical examination, image scanning, and other tests. Doctors cannot stage a patient unless they have the test results. The doctor can identify the stage to help them estimate the prognosis and chances of a patient’s recovery.

There are two types: clinical and pathological staging. Before surgery, clinical staging is determined by physical examinations, mammograms and ultrasounds.

After the surgery, the breast tissue is removed. The lymph node determines which stage of the disease. Information for calculating the stage of breast cancer is included in the pathology report.

It can determine if cancer has spread to other areas of the breast or if it is confined to a single area. The doctor may recommend imaging or blood tests if the cancer is likely to spread.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

Breast cancer symptoms can vary from one person to the next. Some women may not even show any symptoms. A new lump or swelling is the most common sign of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is not always present in every lump. Breast cancers may appear smooth, round, sensitive, painful, or even incontinent. They can also be painful and have hard lumps that have uneven edges.

Some other symptoms include:

• Breast swelling (whole or part)
• Skin dimpling (sometimes giving the appearance of an orange-peeled peel)
• Nips or pain in the breasts
• Retraction of Nipple (turning inward).
• Breast skin becoming reddish, dry, flaky or thick due to nipple or breast cancer.
• Nipple discharge
• Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or towards the collar bone

TNM Systems

TNM stands to stand for Tumour Node and Metastasis. To determine the stage of your cancer, doctors use the TNM system. Without surgery, it may be difficult to determine the exact stage of your cancer.

Tumour – T

A tumour is defined as a tumour’s size or area of cancer. This is the simplest version of the T stage’s description.

• TX: TX means that doctors cannot measure the tumour’s size.
• TIS (DCIS), an abbreviation of ductal carcinoma in situ, is a form of breast cancer. It is a type of breast cancer that isn’t yet invasive. The breast ducts contain the cancerous cells and have not spread to adjacent tissue.
• T1: Breast tumours less than 20 millimetres are called breast tumours. Four stages depend on the size and shape of the tumour. T1mi is cancer less than 1mm in diameter. T1a is for tumours larger than 1 mm, but smaller than 5 mm. T1b means the cancer is greater than 5 mm, but less than 10 mm. T1c is a tumour larger than 10 mm, but smaller than 20.
• T2: The tumour is larger than 20 mm but smaller than 50 mm.
• T3: The tumour is larger than 50mm in diameter.
• T4: The tumour belongs to one of four types. T4a means that cancer has spread to the chest wall. If cancer has spread to the skin, it’s T4b. T4c is a form of breast cancer that spreads to the skin and chest wall. T4d is an inflammatory form of breast cancer.