Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body beyond the breast
The 5 Stages of Breast Cancer
Stage 0
Non-invasive breast cancers
No evidence of cancer cells or non-cancerous abnormal cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which they started
Stage I
Two subcategories: IA and IB
IA - The tumor measures up to 2 centimeters and the cancer has not spread outside the breast
IB - There is no tumor in the breast: instead, instead small groups of cancer cells
Invasive breast cancer
There is a tumor in the breast that is no longer than 2 centimeters, and there are small groups of cancer cells
Stage II
Two Subcategories: IIA and IIB
IIA - Invasive breast cancer in which
No tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer is found in 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes
The tumor measures 2 centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes
IIB - Invasive breast cancer in which:
The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but no larger than 5 centimeters and small groups of breast cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes
The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but no larger than 5 centimeters and the cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes
Stage III
Three Subcategories: IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC
IIIA - invasive breast cancer in which
No tumor is found in the breast or the tumor may be any size and cancer is found in 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes or in the lymph nodes near the breastbone
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and small groups of breast cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or to the lymph nodes near the breastbone
IIIB - Invasive breast cancer in which
The tumor may be any size, has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast and caused swelling or and ulcer
May have spread to up to 9 axillary lymph nodes
May have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
IIIC - Invasive breast cancer in which
There may be no sign of cancer in the breast. If there is a tumor then it can be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast
The cancer has spread to 10 or more axillary lymph nodes
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone
The cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone
Stage IV
Invasive breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other organs of the body
Aidan Farr Boylan Catholic High School Last Edited: November 10, 2016