How is Breast

Cancer
Diagnosed?

During your regular physical exam,

The Breast Breast
your doctor will take a careful
Cancer
personal and family history and
Cancer
perform a breast exam and
Research
possibly order a mammogram or
Awareness
an ultrasound of the breasts. In
certain women who are at Foundation
increased risk for breast cancer, an Basic Information
MRI may be ordered. Based on the
Needed for Breast
results of these tests, your doctor
may or may not request a biopsy
28 West 44th Cancer Awareness
to get a sample of the breast mass Street, Suite
609, New York,
cells or tissue. After the sample is
removed, it is sent to a lab for
testing. A pathologist -- a doctor
who specializes in diagnosing
NY 10036
Phone: 646-497
abnormal tissue changes -- views
the sample under a microscope
and looks for abnormal cell shapes
or growth patterns.
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Toll Free: 1-866-
FIND-A-CURE
E-mail:
bcrf@bcrf.org Monique Alves
 What Are the Stages
of Breast Cancer?
Early stage or stage 0 breast cancer is
when the disease is localized to the
breast with no evidence of spread to the
lymph nodes (carcinoma in situ).
Stage I breast cancer: The cancer is 2
centimeters or less in size and it hasn't
spread anywhere.
Stage IIA breast cancer is a tumor smaller
than 2 centimeters across with lymph
node involvement or a tumor that is
larger than 2 but less than 5 centimeters
across without underarm lymph node
involvement.
Stage IIB is a tumor that is greater than 5
centimeters across without underarm
lymph nodes testing positive for cancer
or a tumor that is larger than 2 but less
than 5 centimeters across with lymph
node involvement.
Stage IIIA breast cancer is also called
locally advanced breast cancer. The
tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and
has spread to the lymph nodes under the
arm or near the breastbone, or a tumor
that is any size with cancerous lymph
nodes that adhere to one another or
surrounding tissue.
Stage IIIB breast cancer is a tumor of any
size that has spread to the skin or chest
wall.
Stage IIIC breast cancer is a tumor of any
size that has spread more extensively
and involves more lymph node invasion.
Stage IV breast cancer is defined as a
tumor, regardless of size, that has spread
to places far away from the breast, such
as bones, lungs, liver, brain, or distant
lymph nodes.
Who Gets Breast
Cancer?
Breast cancer ranks second as a
cause of cancer death in women
(after lung cancer). Today, about 1
in 8 women will develop breast
cancer in her lifetime. The American
Cancer Society estimated that
in 2017, about 252,710 women will
be diagnosed with invasive breast
cancer and about 40,610 will die
from the disease.
Only 5% to 10% of breast cancers
occur in women with a clearly
defined genetic predisposition for
the disease. The majority of breast
cancer cases are "sporadic,"
meaning there is no direct family
history of the disease. The risk for
developing breast cancer increases
as a woman ages.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Lump or thickening in or near the
breast or in the underarm that
persists through the menstrual cycle.
A mass or lump, which may feel as
small as a pea.
A change in the size, shape, or
contour of the breast.
A blood-stained or clear fluid
discharge from the nipple.
A change in the feel or appearance
of the skin on the breast or nipple
(dimpled, puckered, scaly, or
inflamed).
Redness of the skin on the breast or
nipple.
A change in shape or position of the
nipple
An area that is distinctly different
from any other area on either
breast.
A marble-like hardened
area under the skin.