Highlighting the importance of getting screened, surgeon Christine Lai reveals a key stage of breast cancer that most people do not know about. Breast cancer is one of the leading cancer diagnoses for women throughout the world. But it is also a highly treatable type of cancer if found early. While most of us know that breast cancer symptoms like lumps in the breast or discharge from the nipples, these symptoms come when the cancer is already progressing to an advanced stage. The University of Kansas Cancer Center explains that there could be a palpable lump or tenderness, but generally breast cancer has no symptoms in the early stage. But is this stage 1, or stage 2? Which early stage cannot be accurately diagnosed with self-examination. In a recent post, Dr Christine Lai, Specialist Surgeon based in Australia, details the key stage people do not know about and its not 1 or 2, its stage 0. What is Stage 0 Of Breast Cancer? Dr Lai explains that stage 0 is the very first and most treatable stage of breast cancer. At this point, no actual lump has formed, and the person usually has no symptoms. The cancer cells are only sitting inside the milk ducts, where they are growing but have not yet developed the ability to break out and spread into the surrounding breast tissue. This specific type of cancer is often called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). If we find cancer at this stage, it is almost certainly curable. This is why getting a routine screening mammogram is so crucial—it can catch this hidden stage and save a life. What Are The Other Stages Of Breast Cancer And Their Treatability? In the video, Dr Lai details how big the tumor is during each stage, and how is it different from the previous stage, along with their treatability. Stage 1: A Small, Localized Tumor Stage 1 cancer means the tumor is quite small and is mostly confined to the breast. The tumor is usually 2 cm or less in size, which is smaller than a cherry. At this point, the cancer either hasn't spread to the lymph nodes at all, or the spread is extremely minimal and only visible under a microscope. Because the cancer is so small and localized, Stage 1 is highly treatable. Stage 2: Moderately Sized or Starting to Spread Stage 2 means the cancer is either moderately sized or has started to involve a few nearby lymph nodes. This stage applies if the tumor is smaller than 5 cm but has spread to up to three lymph nodes. It also applies if the tumor is larger than 5 cm but hasn't yet spread to any lymph nodes at all. Think of this as the cancer becoming more established, either by growing larger in one spot or starting to spread slightly to the closest glands. Stage 3: Advanced Local and Regional Cancer Stage 3 indicates that the cancer has become more aggressive locally, involving more lymph nodes or invading nearby tissues. This applies if there are more than three involved lymph nodes, or if the tumor is invading the chest wall or the skin of the breast. A special type of cancer called inflammatory breast cancer is also classified as Stage 3 because of how it spreads across the breast tissue. This stage requires more intensive treatment because the disease has spread more extensively in the chest area. Stage 4: Spread to Other Body Parts (Metastatic) Stage 4 is when the breast cancer has spread from the breast and armpit to distant parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, liver, or brain. This is also known as metastatic breast cancer. While this stage is generally not curable, it is still highly treatable. Treatment focuses on controlling the cancer, relieving symptoms, and allowing the patient to maintain the best possible quality of life.
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