As defined by BreastCancer.org, breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells.
How does cancer develop? This condition is a result of abnormal changes in the genes. These genes are the ones that control the growth of each cell in addition to keeping them healthy. Under normal conditions, as some cells grow and divide, others will die off. But with cancer, the abnormal cells start growing at such an unusually rapid pace that a tumor soon forms.
Some tumors are benign, while others are malignant or cancerous. With breast cancer, this malignancy more than likely starts in the milk-producing glands – the ducts from where milk flows to the nipple. If left unchecked, cancer cells of the breast can invade healthy breast tissue or even to lymph nodes located underarm. And as BreastCancer.org states, once it enters the lymph nodes, it is very easy to spread to other parts of the body. As regards to what parts of the body are affected or how far it has spread, scientists refer to this as stages of breast cancer.
The stages of breast cancer are listed below, as indicated by Cancer.gov:
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.
Stage I
In stage I, cancer has formed. The tumor is two 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 two centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
Or the tumor is larger than two centimeters but not larger than five centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes
Stage IIB
In stage IIB, the tumor is either:
Larger than two centimeters but not larger than five centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
Or larger than five centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes
Stage IIIA
In stage IIIA:
No tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone
Or the tumor is two centimeters or smaller. Cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
Or the tumor is larger than two centimeters but not larger than five centimeters. Cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Or the tumor is larger than five centimeters. Cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that may be attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
Stage IIIB
In stage IIIB, the tumor may be any size and cancer:
Has spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast.
And may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that may be attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Stage IIIC
In stage IIIC, there may be no sign of cancer in the breast or the tumor may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast. Also, cancer:
Has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone
May have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone
Stage IIIC breast cancer is divided into operable and inoperable stage IIIC
In operable stage IIIC, the cancer:
Is found in 10 or more axillary lymph nodes
Is found in lymph nodes below the collarbone
Is found in axillary lymph nodes and in lymph nodes near the breastbone
In inoperable stage IIIC breast cancer, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes above the collarbone
Stage IV
In stage IV, the cancer has spread to other organs of the body, most often the bones, lungs, liver, or brain.
Resouces: Cancer.gov, BreastCancer.org
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