What are the stages of breast cancer?

What are the stages of breast cancer?

Richard E. Gould (Hematologist/Oncologist, Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center) gives expert video advice on: What are the stages of breast cancer?; How is breast cancer treated?; How soon will my breast cancer treatment begin? and more...

Breast cancer is staged with the TNM staging just like other tumours; looking at the size of the tumour, the nodes involved and whether there are metastases or distant spread of the cancer. It is grouped into stage 1, 2, 3 and 4. Stages 1-3 are early breast cancer and can be treated with surgery with or without chemotherapy, radiation and/or hormonal therapy. Stage 4 breast cancer is metastatic breast cancer and it is usually not able to be cured. The treatment for Stage 4 usually consists of chemotherapy.