Being diagnosed with breast cancer is scary. However, catching the cancer early can vastly improve the patient's chances of survival. Doctors rate the extent of cancer by stage. Staging considers the cancer's size and whether it has spread.
Definition
Early-stage breast cancers are Stage 1 and 2. Stage 1 cancer is where the tumor is less than 2 centimeters wide, has not moved to other body parts and where the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. Stage 2 cancer is where the tumor is no more than 2 centimeters wide and up to three lymph nodes are cancerous. It has not spread to other body parts. Breast cancer is also considered Stage 2 when the tumor is at least 5 centimeters but has not spread.
Significance
A woman with early-stage breast cancer has more choices when it comes to treatment and a higher probability of surviving. Screening tests and progress in breast cancer treatment has caused breast cancer's mortality rate to drop 2.3 percent since 1990, according to the American Cancer Society.
Treatment
When cancer is discovered in its early stages, most women can choose between a breast-conserving lumpectomy or a mastectomy, or breast removal. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, about 75 percent of women may be considered for lumpectomy. The life expectancy of women with early stage breast cancer who undergo lumpectomy with radiation is the same as the life expectancy of women who have a mastectomy, according to the information center.
Survival Rate
Discovering breast cancer in its early stages significantly increases a woman's chances of survival. One hundred percent of women diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer are still living five years after diagnosis. Only 20 percent of women diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer survive five years.
Detection
Screening is responsible for the detection of most early stage cancer. Mammograms, which are x-rays of the breast, are recommended each year beginning at age 40 for most women. It is recommended that women at high risk receive an MRI and mammogram every year, according to the American Cancer Society.
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