| e U.S., over 90 percent of breast cancer | | | | Lymph nodes are an effective way to predict the |
| diagnoses happen during the early breast cancer | | | | effects of breast cancer. Essentially, the more |
| stages. Early detection is good news for the | | | | positive lymph nodes that are present, the lower |
| patient as it often translates to effective | | | | the patient's survival rate and the higher the |
| treatment. | | | | chances of relapse. |
| Nonetheless, early diagnosis is only a fraction of | | | | Commonly, patients with earlier stage breast |
| the whole medical picture. Other disease | | | | cancer are classified into either those presenting |
| characteristics, like hormone receptors and lymph | | | | negative nodes, 1 to 3 positive lymph nodes, 4 to |
| nodes, can aid in prognosing results and help | | | | 9 positive nodes, or 10 and more nodes. |
| doctors and patients choose the right treatment. | | | | Tumor Size |
| Although breast cancer is on the rise in North | | | | If a patient exhibits negative lymph nodes and a |
| America and the UK, the mortality rate is | | | | tumor that is smaller than 1cm, the prognosis is |
| decreasing. This decline in mortality is credited to | | | | often very good. Most doctors use tumor size as |
| an increased number of women obtaining | | | | an effective and critical indicator during the early |
| mammograms, improved evaluation techniques, | | | | stages of this disease. |
| and effective ancillary treatments. | | | | The Grade of Tumor |
| Thus if the majority of diagnosed breast cancer | | | | As the grade of the tumor increases, so does the |
| cases are discovered during the preliminary | | | | potential relapse rate. However, due to the |
| stages, what effect does that have on patients | | | | unreliability of tumor data, most pathologists do |
| and what are the best treatment courses? | | | | not rely on this information for their prognosis. |
| The Early Stages of Breast Cancer | | | | Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors |
| Earlier breast cancer stages are called TNM stages | | | | Estrogen and progesterone receptors within the |
| 1, 2 and 3a. This scoring system approximates | | | | tumor is also used to prognosticate breast cancer |
| how far the carcinoma has advanced. It's also | | | | during the earlier stages. Generally, those patients |
| based on whether any present tumors are | | | | with a receptor-positive form of breast cancer |
| operable. | | | | tend to have a better prognosis and survival rate |
| Most instances of early-stage breast cancer are | | | | than those who don't. |
| curable through surgery, radiation therapy or | | | | HER2/neu as an Indicator |
| systemic therapy. The survival rate for patients | | | | HER2/neu is what's called a marker - it's a |
| diagnosed this early have a 5-year success rate | | | | biological element typically present in the body or |
| of over 75%. | | | | within the tumor in about 25% of all breast |
| Normal Treatment Reactions | | | | cancer cases. When HER2/neu levels are high, |
| Treatment reaction generally hinges on lymph | | | | that usually translates to a more aggressive |
| node engagement, the size and grade of any | | | | variety of breast cancer and a worse prognosis. |
| tumors, the age of the patient, hormone | | | | Age of the Patient |
| (estrogen and progesterone) receptors, and the | | | | Generally, patients who are older (50 and up) |
| status or condition of biologic markers like HER2 | | | | have a better prognosis than patients under the |
| neu. | | | | age of 35. |
| Lymph Node Indicators | | | | |