Breast cancer develops from abnormal changes within the breast tissue and is the most common cancer in women. At least 1 out of 10 women (10%) will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. While very rare, 1% of breast cancer will occur in men. Before cancer arises, normal cells must go through numerous genetic changes (atypical cells). As the cancer grows in size, the chance of spreading into blood vessels, lymph vessels and other parts of the body increases.

                   Stages of breast cancer

Stage 0: Your breast cancer has not grown outside of the breast duct or lobule.

Stage I: Your breast cancer has grown through the breast duct or lobule into the surrounding breast tissue. The size of the breast cancer is less then 2 cm (centimeters) and there is no spread of cancer to lymph nodes.

Stage IIA: Your breast cancer is less then 2cm in size but has spread to 1 to 3 armpit lymph nodes. Or, your cancer has grown bigger (more then 2 cm but less then 5 cm) but has not spread to the lymph nodes. Or, no cancer is found in the breast but 1-3 armpit lymph nodes contain cancer.

Stage IIB: Your breast cancer has grown to between 2 cm and 5 cm and has spread to 1-3 armpit lymph nodes. Or, your cancer has grown larger then 5 cm but has not spread to the lymph nodes. 

Stage IIIA: Your cancer has spread to 4 to 9 armpit lymph nodes but has not grown into the chest wall or skin. Or, no cancer is found in the breast but 4-9 armpit lymph nodes contain cancer.

Stage IIIB: Your cancer has grown into the chest wall or skin and may involve 0-9 lymph nodes of the armpit.

Stage IIIC: Your cancer is any size, and involves 10 or more armpit lymph nodes or cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or beneath the collarbone. 

Stage IV: Invasive breast cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other organs. Common sites of spread are lung, liver, brain and bone.

                 Treatment options

           After the breast cancer has been found and staged, your doctor will recommend one or more treatment options. The 3 main types of treatment for breast cancer are: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Depending on the stage of the cancer, one or more of these types of treatments may be needed.

Surgery is the main treatment for breast cancer. It involves removing the area of breast cancer and lymph nodes. The most extensive surgery removes the entire breast (mastectomy) and armpit lymph nodes (axillary lymph node dissection). Less extensive surgery (breast conservation surgery) removes only part of the breast and sampling of armpit lymph nodes (sentinel lymph node biopsy). Breast conservation surgery always requires follow up radiation treatment. 

After surgery chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy is needed to increase the survival rate for patients with some stages of breast cancer. This is called adjuvant (additional) therapy.

Early detection and treatment of breast cancer offer the best chance of cure. Monthly self breast exam can show physical changes such as a mass, change in skin appearance or nipple discharge. At the age of 40, yearly physician breast exam and mammography should be performed.  Mammography will see changes too small to feel. For this reason, mammograghy should be performed even if your breast exams are normal.