Survival Rates Of Breast Cancer At Different Stages
Posted: Saturday, March 22, 2008
by Moses Chia
Discovering that you have breast cancer can be a frightening prospect. Even when the cancer has not metastasized, 86% of women have about 5 years left to live. However, for many who discover the cancer early, the chances of survival are usually better.
As with most cancers, breast cancer, develops in stages. T, N, M and 0-IV are common ways to categorize the different stages. The alphabet T denotes the size of the tumor while alphabet N denotes that it has spread to the lymph nodes and the alphabet M means distant metastasis. When a primary tumor spreads to another area/s and forms more tumors, it has metastasized.
Stage 0 indicates that the cancer is in its earliest stage. Stage I indicates that tumors have not spread and are less than 2cm in size. A tumor that is 2-5cm in diameter is classified as Stage II, and a tumor larger than 5cm is considered Stage III. When a tumor has attached to the chest wall and spread to the lymph nodes it is considered to be Stage IV.
Today, due to medical advances, many breast cancers are diagnosed and treated during the early stages.
Treatment received in Stage 0 and Stage I results in men and women having five year survival rates of almost 100%. And yes, men can develop breast cancer, though at a far lower rate of 1/133 when compared to women. The survival rate for those with Stage II cancer is between 81%-92%. At Stage III the rate lowers to 67%, and then drops substantially to 20% at Stage IV.
Although it is a very serious illness, breast cancer is seldom life threatening. Women who have advanced stages of cancer have been known to live for more than seven years. As technology and medicine advance, survival rates increase. Even later stage cancer survival rates are rising as medical and treatment methods improve.
The QM-MSP (quantitative multiplex methylation-specific PCR) is one such new method of diagnosis. It was invented in 2001 and it involves tests done on fluids taken from the breast area. In this test, the chemical analysis can detect minute cancerous lumps that only contain 50 cells and has an 86% reliability. Treatment given in the early stages is highly effective, and new methods like this allow cancer to be diagnosed at the earliest possible stage.
Treatments are also improving, with hormone therapy, targeted radiation and molecule specific drugs now readily available.
Breast cancer is no longer the death sentence it used to be. Although the disease is still a matter of serious concern, the chances of survival are high and treatments are now less invasive.
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Moses Wright is a health conscious webmaster who is highly interested in breast cancer issues. He sets up this site to help people learn more about what is breast cancer and breast cancer self exam.
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