Breast cancer staging: What the numbers mean
| April 12, 2007
Breast cancer staging: What the numbers mean
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To determine your stage, find T, N, and M classifications from your pathology report on this list. For example, the pathology report might describe a tumor that is T1, N0, M0. That means the tumor is Stage 1. |
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Stage groupings |
Stage 0 |
Stage I |
Stage IIA |
Stage IIB |
Stage IIIA |
Stage IIIB |
Stage IIIC |
Stage IV |
|
T (Tumor) |
Tis |
T1* |
T0 |
T2 |
T0 |
T4 |
Any T |
Any T |
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N (Nodes) |
N0 |
N0 |
N1 N1 N0 |
N1 N0 |
N2 N2 N2 N1 N2 |
N0 N1 N2 |
N3 |
Any N |
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M (Metastasis) |
M0 |
M0 |
M0 M0 M0 |
M0 M0 |
M0 M0 M0 M0 M0 |
M0 M0 M0 |
M0 |
M1 |
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*T1 includes T1mic |
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Interpreting the T, N, M classifications |
T = Tumor |
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T0: No evidence of primary tumor Tis: Carcinoma in situ Tis (DCIS): Ductal carcinoma in situ Tis (LCIS): Lobular carcinoma in situ Tis (Paget's): Paget's disease of the nipple with no tumor T1: Tumor 2 cm or less in greatest dimension T1mic: Microinvasion 0.1 cm or less (microinvasion is a small tumor within the breast only) T1a: Tumor more than 0.1 cm but not more than 0.5 cm in greatest dimension T1b: Tumor more than 0.5 cm but not more than 1 cm in greatest dimension T1c: Tumor more than 1 cm but not more than 2 cm in greatest dimension T2: Tumor more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm in greatest dimension T3: Tumor more than 5 cm in greatest dimension T4: Tumor of any size with direct extension to chest wall, skin, or both T4a: Extension to chest wall, not including pectoralis muscle T4b: Edema or ulceration of the skin of the breast, or scattered skin nodules confined to the same breast |
N = Nodes |
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N0: No regional lymph node metastasis N1: Metastasis in 1–3 lymph nodes N2: Metastasis to 4–9 axillary (underarm) lymph nodes, or to internal mammary nodes that are clinically apparent in the absence of axillary lymph node metastasis N3: Metastasis to 10 or more axillary lymph nodes, or in infraclavicular lymph nodes (under the collarbone) in clinically apparent internal mammary nodes (behind the breastbone) with 1–3 positive axillary nodes in supraclavicular lymph nodes (above the collarbone) on the same side as the breast cancer |
M = Metastasis |
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M0: No distant metastasis M1: Distant metastasis present MX: Distant metastasis cannot be assessed |
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Source: American Joint Committee on Cancer, 2002 |
Review Date: 2007-04-12
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