Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in U.S. women, with more than 178,000 new
diagnoses each year.17 Breast cancer can also affect men, and there are roughly 2,000
new diagnoses of male breast cancer each year. Survival with breast cancer has
improved in recent decades due to a combination of early detection and improvements in treatment.
The suspicion of breast cancer first occurs when a lump is found in the breast during
breast examination or a mass found on a mammogram. A physician will perform a biopsy to understand the cause of the
breast mass or lump. During a biopsy, a physician removes cells for examination in the laboratory
to determine whether cancer is present. Other information obtained from the biopsy
sample may play an important role in treatment decisions.
There are many types of breast tumors. Some breast tumors are benign (not
cancerous). Benign breast tumors do not spread outside of the breast. Other breast tumors are cancerous. When cancer is identified after a
biopsy, several other tests are performed to classify the cancer and to determine the
best treatment strategy.
Choice of breast cancer treatment varies by the stage of the cancer:
Stage I: Cancer is confined to a single site in the breast, is less than 2 centimeters (3/4
inch) in size and has not spread outside the breast.
Stage IIA: Cancer has spread to involve underarm lymph nodes and is less than 2
centimeters (3/4 inch) in size or the cancer is 2-5 centimeters (3/4-2 inches) and has not
spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IIB: Cancer is 2-5 centimeters in size and has spread to the underarm lymph
nodes or cancer is greater than 5 centimeters in size and does not involve any lymph
nodes.
Stage IIIA: Cancer is greater than 5 centimeters and has spread to the underarm lymph
nodes, or cancer is any size and involves lymph nodes that are attached to each other or
to other structures.
Stage IIIB: Cancer directly involves the chest wall or skin.
Stage IIIC: Cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the neck or collarbone, or to lymph
nodes under the arm and near the center of the chest.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to distant locations in the body, which may include the
liver, lungs, bones or other sites.
American Cancer Society: About Staging
Treatment for breast cancer may involve surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy), radiation
therapy, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and/or targeted therapy. It is important for
patients to remember that treatment is determined by the stage and other specific
characteristics of the cancer. Patients should speak with their doctor to discuss the
individual risks and benefits of each treatment option.
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