To evaluate the location and size of a patient’s cancer, physicians us the process of staging. For deciding on a treatment option from the available remedial methods of breast cancer, one of the most important factors is the identification of the cancer stage. Certain imaging tests like MRI scan, bone scan, chest x-ray, CT scan, and mammogram often followed by blood tests to assess whether the cancer in a woman has spread to certain organs and her overall health and many tests including biopsy, clinical tests may be performed to help stage breast cancer.
The American Joint Committee on cancer first places the cancer in a letter category using the TNM classification system in order to stage cancer. The letters and their meanings that are assigned to cancers are:
M (metastasis):
Whether or not the distant organs i.e. bones or the lungs or lymph nodes that are not next to the breast like those above the collarbone are affected by the cancer is indicated by the letter M followed by a 0 or 1. That is:
MX: Metastatic can’t be evaluated
M0: No distant metastatic to other organs
M1: Distant metastatis to other organs.
N (palpable nodes):
Whether or not lymph nodes near the breast are affected and, if so, whether or not the affected nodes are fixed to other underarm structures is indicated by the letter N followed be a number from 0 to 3. That is:
NX: Lymph nodes cannot be evaluated
N0: Lymph nodes is not affected
N1: Movable ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes has got the cancer
N2: Ipsilateral lymph nodes that are fixed to one another and other underarm structures have got the cancer
N3: The ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes or the ipsilateral mammary lymph nodes have got the cancer.
T (Tumor Size):
Whether or not chest or the skin wall under the breast is affected and the size of the tumor is indicated by the letter T followed by a number from 0 to 4.
TX: Tumor cannot be evaluated
T0: No tumor is found
Tis: Paget’s disease, ductal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ may be the form of the cancer
T1: Diameter of the tumor is 2 cm or less
T2: The tumor size ranges between 2 and 5 cm in diameter
T3: Tumor diameter is more than 5 cm
T4: Tumor has spread to the pectoral (chest) lymph nodes and has attached itself to the chest and is any size. |
