Breast Cancer: Stages and Development

The spreading of abnormal human cells to other parts of the body is the cause of a serious disease – cancer. What is breast cancer? It is marked by a group of cancer cells that are the reason for appearing a malignant lump or tumor cells, which starts in the cells of the breast. Then through the bloodstream, this group of cancer cells goes round to the lymph nodes or to other organs. Unfortunately, this leads to death and severe illness for many people.

The process of breast cancer development can be divided into several stages which are ranged from 0 to 4. As for American women, breast cancer is so widespread; the understanding of the disease development is of the greatest importance. Each stage suggests that the disease has been diagnosed, and the higher is the numerals, the more advanced is cancer.

• Stage 0: At this stage, the disease is diagnosed early, and is greatly treatable with the tendency to go away with the proper treatment and care. This stage is indicated as non-invasive cancer; meaning cancer is in the breast ducts, where it has started.
• Stage 1: At this stage, cancer starts attacking healthy tissue and is generally called “invasive.” The size of the tumor may be as a peanut right at this stage. The IA Stage is characterized as the movement of the cancer cells into the fatty tissue of the breast, the IB Stage is the stage in which the lymph glands are invaded by the small amounts of cancer cells. It can be highly treated with the proper treatment and care as well as the stage 0.

• Stage 2: This stageindicates that cancer has grown and extended. The size of a tumor in Stage IA is still small but most probably spread to the lymph nodes; in Stage IB the tumor has reached the size of a walnut or even bigger and may have moved to inside the lymph nodes. This stage needs to be treated more aggressively but it can be treated and fortunately enough.
• Stage 3: This stage indicates that the bones or organs aren’t occupied by cancer but is advanced. Stage IA is characterized by infection up to nine lymph nodes and chain formation from the underarm to the collarbone. The tumor in Stage IB has reached the chest wall or skin around the breast. 10 or more lymph nodes are invaded by cancer in Stage IIIC, cancer has occupied above or below the collarbone. There is a decent amount of treatment options although this stage is considered to be advanced.
• Stage 4: This is one is the most advanced stage which indicates that cancer cells have occupied the other organs, generally the bones, lungs, liver, and brain. It is generally called “metastatic,” which means that cancer cells have extended outside the region where it was first found. Stage IV which considered incurable, no way means that a patient has to give up on life as the treatment options that can lengthen life exist.

Nowadays with so many treatment options available, certain types of cancer can be treated, it’s not always mean debilitation and death.