your Cancer Stage

Tumor (T)

• T1 = 0-2cm
• T2 = 2-5cm
• T3 = greater than 5cm
• T4 = ulcerating through the skin or stuck to the chest wall

Nodes (N)

• N-0: No axillary nodes are palpable (can be felt by the hands).
• N-1a: The axillary nodes are palpable, but negative—cancer cells have not spread to these nodes.
• N-1b: The axillary nodes are palpable and positive—cancer cells have spread to these nodes.
• N-2: The axillary nodes are large and matted together OR there is a positive mammary node inside the chest.
• N-3: There are positive nodes near the collarbone OR there are positive axillary nodes and mammary nodes inside the chest.

Metastasis (M)

• M-0: The tumor has not spread to other areas of the body
• M-1: The tumor has spread to other areas.
• M-x : The doctor is not able to determine if the cancer has spread to other areas.

Breast Cancer Staging

• Stage 0: The tumor has not gone outside of the ducts. It is noninvasive. It is a ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS).
• Stage I: The tumor is T1 (0-2cm) with negative lymph nodes (N-0).
• Stage IIA: The tumor is small (T1) with positive lymph nodes OR it is 2-5cm (T2) with negative lymph nodes (N-0).
• Stage IIB: The tumor is 2-5cm (T2) with positive lymph nodes OR larger than 5cm (T3) with negative lymph nodes (N-0).
• Stage IIIA: A tumor larger than 5cm (T3) AND/OR that has spread to the lymph nodes or surrounding tissue.
• Stage IIIB: A tumor of any size that has spread to the skin, chest wall, or internal mammary lymph nodes.
• Stage IIIC: A tumor of any size that has spread to nodes near the collarbone OR to both internal and axillary nodes.
• Stage IV - a tumor of any size that has metastasized (spread) to a different part of the body, such as the lungs, liver, or brain.

Note: Tumors that are stage IIIB or IIIC are sometimes also referred to as “locally advanced.”