Stages and Treatment of breast cancer
Stages of breast cancer range from 0 to 4. Every stage provides different symptoms and options for treatment. The TNM staging system is used by a doctor to determine which of those stages the breast cancer has reached.
In TNM staging, the letters TNM signify the following:
- T stands for tumor and shows how much breast tissue is involved
- N refers to nodes and indicates whether the cancer has grown enough to involve lymph nodes.
- M stands for metastasis and shows that cancer has spread to other body parts.
- Numbers are also used in the TNM staging system. The 0-4 numbers indicate how advanced the cancer is.
The United States Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) oversees the program. It means that all cancer doctors identify the cancer stages and define them in the same way. A doctor will conduct tests to determine which level a person’s breast cancer has reached. Tests include CT and PET scans, blood and body fluid tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, and X-rays (including a mammogram).