| percent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed | | | | Lymph Nodes |
| during the earlier stages of the disease. Early | | | | Lymph nodes are an effective way to predict the |
| spotting is beneficial for the patient as it typically | | | | effects of breast cancer. Essentially, the more |
| means better treatment and a stronger prognosis. | | | | positive lymph nodes that are present, the lower |
| However, this is only a portion of the whole clinical | | | | the patient's survival rate and the higher the |
| picture. Various characteristics, like lymph node | | | | chances of relapse. |
| engagement and receptor status, can help | | | | Commonly, patients with earlier stage breast |
| prognosticate outcome and aid in choosing a | | | | cancer are classified into either those presenting |
| treatment selection, making them critical factors | | | | negative nodes, 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes, 4 to |
| for survival. | | | | 9 positive nodes, or 10 and more nodes. |
| Although breast cancer is on the rise in North | | | | The Size of Tumor |
| America and the UK, the mortality rate is | | | | If a patient exhibits negative lymph nodes and a |
| decreasing. This decline in mortality is credited to | | | | tumor that is smaller than 1cm, the prognosis is |
| an increased number of women obtaining | | | | often very good. Most doctors use tumor size as |
| mammograms, improved evaluation techniques, | | | | an effective and critical indicator during the early |
| and effective ancillary treatments. | | | | stages of this disease. |
| Thus if the majority of diagnosed breast cancer | | | | Tumor Grade |
| cases are discovered during the preliminary | | | | As the grade of the tumor increases, so does the |
| stages, what effect does that have on patients | | | | potential relapse rate. However, due to the |
| and what are the best treatment courses? | | | | unreliability of tumor data, most pathologists do |
| An Overview of the Earlier Symptoms of this | | | | not rely on this information for their prognosis. |
| Disease | | | | Hormone Receptors |
| Earlier breast cancer stages are called TNM stages | | | | The status of hormone receptors in the tumor is |
| 1, 2 and 3a. This scoring system approximates | | | | another indicator used by doctors when |
| how far the carcinoma has advanced. It's also | | | | prognosing early stage breast cancer. Typically, |
| based on whether any present tumors are | | | | patients who experience a receptor-positive |
| operable. | | | | cancer have a stronger survival rate than those |
| Most instances of early-stage breast cancer are | | | | who do not. |
| curable through surgery, radiation therapy or | | | | HER2/neu as an Indicator |
| systemic therapy. The survival rate for patients | | | | HER2/neu is a tumor marker that is expressed in |
| diagnosed this early have a 5-year success rate | | | | approximately a quarter of all breast cancer |
| of over 75%. | | | | cases. If its numbers are high, this is usually |
| Normal Treatment Reactions | | | | associated with a more aggressive form of |
| Treatment reaction generally hinges on lymph | | | | breast cancer. |
| node engagement, the size and grade of any | | | | Age of the Patient |
| tumors, the age of the patient, hormone | | | | Generally, patients who are older (50 and up) |
| (estrogen and progesterone) receptors, and the | | | | have a better prognosis than patients under the |
| status or condition of biologic markers like HER2 | | | | age of 35. |
| neu. | | | | |