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Your breast specialist needs certain information about the cancer to help decide on the mostappropriatetreatmentfor you. This includes thestageof the cancer, itsgradeand whether ithasreceptorsfor hormones, proteins, or both. Your breast specialist and breast care nurse will talkthis over with you.

StagingBack to topThe stage of a cancer describes its size and whether it has spread beyond the area of the bodywhere it started.

Your surgeon wont know the stage of the cancer until after youroperationand when the results ofall yourtestsare ready.

Number staging systemBreast cancer can be divided into four number stages, which measure the size of the cancer (lump)and whether its spread to the lymph nodes or another part of the body.

Stage 1 The cancer (lump) is smaller than, or equal to, 2cm and has not spread to thelymph nodes

in the armpit.

Stage 2 is divided into two stages:

Stage 2A Either the lump is smaller than 2cm and has spread to lymph nodes in the armpit ORits bigger than 2cm (but under 5cm) and hasnt spread to the lymph nodes OR the cancer cantbe found in the breast but is in the lymph nodes in the armpit.

Stage 2B Either the lump is smaller than 5cm and has spread to the lymph nodes in the armpitOR its bigger than 5cm but hasnt spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit.

Stage 3 is divided into three stages:

Stage 3AEither the cancer cant be found in the breast or the lump is under 5cm and thecancer is in the lymph nodes in the armpit, which are stuck together OR the lump is bigger than

5cm and has spread to the lymph nodes. Stage 3B The cancer has spread to tissue near the breast and may be attached to surrounding

skin or muscle. There are usually cancer cells in the lymph nodes in the armpit as well. Stage 3C The cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the armpit, below the breastbone, near the

neck or under the collarbone.

Stage 4 The cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as thebones,liverorlungs. This iscalledsecondary or metastatic breast cancer.

This section is about stage 13 breast cancer. If you have stage 4 breast cancer, you may find our

information about secondary breast cancerhelpful.

TNM staging systemThe number stage is combined with a letter system called TNM, which gives the complete stage ofthe cancer:

T describes the size of the tumour.

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millan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Aboutbreastcancer/Thebreasts.aspx#breastlymphnodeshttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Aboutbreastcancer/Thebreasts.aspx#breastlymphnodeshttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Symptomsdiagnosis/Diagnosis/Diagnosis.aspxhttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Treatingbreastcancer/Surgery/Surgeryforbreastcancer.aspxhttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Symptomsdiagnosis/Stagingandgrading.aspx#DynamicJumpMenuManager_Top1http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Symptomsdiagnosis/HormoneandHER2receptors/HormoneandHER2receptors.aspxhttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Symptomsdiagnosis/Stagingandgrading.aspx#gradinghttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Symptomsdiagnosis/Stagingandgrading.aspx#staginghttp://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Breast/Treatingbreastcancer/Treatingbreastcancer.aspx

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N describes whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and which nodes are involved.For example, N0 is no lymph nodes affected while N1 means there are cancer cells in the lymphnodes.

M describes if the cancer has spread to another part of the body. For example, M0 means thecancer has not spread (metastasised) to other parts of the body.

Other terms usedYou may hear some other terms used to describe breast cancer:

Early breast canceris a term often used to describe stage 1 and 2 breast cancer. Locally-advanced breast canceris a term sometimes used to describe stage 3 breast cancers. Local recurrence means the cancer has come back in the breast area after treatment.

GradingBack to top

Grading refers to how the cancer cells look under the microscope compared with normal breastcells.

Grade 1 (low-grade) The cancer cells look similar to normal cells and grow very slowly. Grade 2 (moderate- or intermediate-grade) The cancer cells look more abnormal and are

slightly faster growing. Grade 3 (high-grade) The cancer cells look very different from normal cells and tend to grow

quickly.

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