Learn · 2 min read
Stages of breast cancer
If breast cancer is diagnosed, doctors describe its 'stage', which captures how big it is and whether it has spread. Staging helps the care team plan the best treatment and explains a lot about the likely outlook.
Stage 0
Contained where it started
Stage 1
Small and early
Stage 2
Larger, or in a nearby node
Stage 3
More nodes or tissue involved
Stage 4
Spread beyond the breast
The stages, simply
- Stage 0 is very early and non-invasive (such as DCIS), still contained where it started
- Stages 1 and 2 are early invasive cancer, in the breast or nearby lymph nodes
- Stage 3 is locally advanced, with more involvement of nearby lymph nodes or tissue
- Stage 4, also called secondary, has spread to other parts of the body
Why early stage matters
Caught at Stage 1 or 2, breast cancer is highly treatable, with survival above 90%. Caught at Stage 3 or 4, treatment is harder. In Ghana, most cases are still found late, which is exactly why screening and early detection sit at the heart of Walk In Pink.
Get screened, free, at Walk In Pink.
Early detection saves lives. Join us for a free clinical screening.
References: nationalbreastcancer.org, breastcancer.org. This page is general information, not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you notice a change, see a clinician.