As with breast cancer stage 2, stage 3 breast cancer is also sub-divided into two groups. They are:
- Breast Cancer Stage 3A
- Breast Cancer Stage 3B
Breast Cancer Stage 3A:
The A sub-division of the stage 3 breast cancer is indicated by T0-2, N2, M0 / T3, N1-2, or M0. The cancer in this sub-division of 3rd stage breast cancer has not spread to distant sites. The tumor is larger than 5 cm and has spread to 1 to 9 axillary nodes or to internal mammary nodes or found by imaging studies or clinical exam to have spread to internal mammary nodes or the tumor is smaller than 5 cm in diameter and has spread to four to nine underarm lymph nodes.
Breast Cancer Stage 3A Treatment:
With or without breast reconstruction, modified radical mastectomy is the standard breast cancer stage 3A treatment. If the tumor may be cut free with one incision, lumpectomy may be performed. After surgery, systemic therapy like hormonal therapy or chemotherapy and radiation is performed. With or without hormonal therapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a combination of anticancer drugs which is administered before surgery to minimize the tumor size, may be provided if the tumor is large.
Breast Cancer Stage 3B:
It is indicated by T4, N0-2, or M0. As many as nine underarm nodes or no lymph nodes as well as internal mammary nodes can be affected by the tumor that is grown into the chest wall or skin.
Breast Cancer Stage 3B Treatment:
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is often performed to shrink the size of the tumor in the beginning of stage 3b treatment. Modified radical mastectomy or lumpectomy followed by radiation, chemotherapy, or chemotherapy with hormonal therapy are the standard treatments of stage3b breast cancer. |
