Staging and prognosis of breast cancers

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer seen in women all over the world and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Treatment of breast cancer requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of medical, surgical, and radiation oncology specialists. Breast cancer treatment is more effective and better tolerated when started and completed early. Treatment varies depending on the phase. Staging of breast cancer is determined according to specific biomarkers such as tumor size, nodal involvement, the presence of metastases, and molecular subtypes. Ductal carcinoma in situ is a stage 0, non-invasive breast cancer. Early-stage breast cancer is defined as stages I, IIa, and IIb, and locally advanced stages IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc. Stage IV is metastatic breast cancer. There are many parameters that affect the prognosis of breast cancer. The prognosis for early-stage breast cancer is quite good. The 5-year survival rate for Stages 0 and I is 100%. In stages II and III, this rate is 93% and 72%, respectively. The prognosis worsens when the disease spreads systemically. In stage IV breast cancer, this rate drops to 22%. © 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.