| Breast cancer treatment is different for every | | | | and the skin over the breast has been involved, |
| patient afflicted with this deadly disease. There | | | | irrespective of the tumor size is classified under |
| are several stages of Breast cancer which decide | | | | Stage III B. Also there might be lot of |
| the plan of treatment to be followed. | | | | inflammatory changes with involvement of the |
| Stage 0 | | | | axillary lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are usually |
| This is the initial stage of Breast Cancer, where | | | | adhered together with lot of involvement of the |
| the disease is limited to the Breast and has not | | | | skin over the breast and also the lymph nodes |
| yet spread to the surrounding tissues. | | | | below the breast. |
| Stage I | | | | Stage III C |
| Here the Cancer has spread and to the adjacent | | | | This stage exclusively deals with invasion by the |
| tissues and the size of the tumor is also up to 2 | | | | cancer cells. The size of the tumor is immaterial |
| cm. But the lymph nodes are not yet involved | | | | here, and there may or may not be any signs of |
| here. | | | | cancer in the breast. The most significant feature |
| Stage II | | | | is the involvement of the lymph nodes and |
| This stage is further subdivided in to Stage II A | | | | lymphatics above the clavicle or the collar bone. |
| and Stage II B. | | | | This stage essentially deals with the attack on the |
| Stage II A Breast Cancer includes different | | | | lymph nodes of the chest or the axillae or even |
| developments like size of the tumor within 2-5 | | | | beyond the collar bone. |
| cm, or when the size of the tumor despite being | | | | Stage IV: |
| smaller than 2 cm has spread to the axillary | | | | This stage is the final full blown stage of the |
| lymph nodes or it may include that stage where | | | | deadly disease. Here the cancer cells have |
| there is no sign of any cancer cell in the breast | | | | crossed over the limiting boundaries and have |
| but the axillary lymph nodes have been affected. | | | | reached distant far off places. There may not be |
| StageII B is where the tumor size is between | | | | any sign of disease in the breast itself, but the |
| 2and 5 cm, and has already spilled on to the | | | | Kidneys, Liver or the bones may be affected. |
| surrounding tissue. It also includes the tumor sizes | | | | Based on these major guidelines, the breast |
| above 5cm but has not yet spread to the | | | | cancer is usually further classified into many |
| surrounding tissue. | | | | different descriptions like an early stage, denoting |
| Stage III | | | | the Stage I, Stage II and early Stage III, whereas |
| This stage also has 3 other sub stages A, B, and | | | | the late stages, may signify a late Stage III and |
| C. | | | | Stage IV. |
| Stage III A | | | | TREATMENT: |
| This is where there is no sign of any Cancer in | | | | The various options for breast cancer treatment |
| the breast, but the disease has already spread in | | | | are as listed out here:o Chemotherapyo Hormonal |
| to the neighboring areas. The cancer cells are | | | | therapyo Breast Surgery-Lumpectomy / |
| bundled together and are clutching on to the | | | | Mastectomy.o Radiotherapyo Targeted therapieso |
| axillary lymph nodes or the sternum or in some | | | | Alternative and Holistic treatmentso Clinical trials- |
| case the size of the tumor is less than 5 cm and | | | | involving trial on patients using a new therapy |
| has already spread in to the neighboring areas. | | | | Whatever may be the treatment, it is finally |
| The cancer cells are bundled together and are | | | | dependent on the stage and progress of the |
| clutching on to the axillary lymph nodes or the | | | | disease. There is very little chance offered for |
| sternum or the size of the tumor is larger than 5 | | | | patients to actually select their mode of breast |
| cm and has spread to the neighboring areas. The | | | | cancer treatment, for the simple reason that all |
| cancer cells are bundled together and are clutching | | | | the treatments are basically determined by the |
| on to the axillary lymph nodes or the sternum | | | | progress of the disease, and secondly due to the |
| Stage III B | | | | fact that all the modes have their own share of |
| This is where the tumor size is not important | | | | side effects and untoward effects. Only the |
| because all cancers where the wall of the chest | | | | intensity varies. |