The stages of breast cancer range from 0 to IV (0 to 4). Stage depends on the combination of three categories:
For example, a cancer with a T1 tumor (less than 2 cm), no cancerous lymph nodes (N0) and no distant metastases (M0) is classified as stage I. Most often, the higher the stage of the cancer, the worse the prognosis (chances for survival). The highest stage, stage IV, is any cancer with distant metastases (M1), no matter the size of the tumor or the lymph node status.
The table below lists the tumor (T), node (N) and metastases (M) classifications.
| Stages of Breast Cancer |
Ductal carcinoma in situ
|
Stage 0:
|
TisN0M0
|
Early breast cancer
|
Stage I:
|
T1N0M0
|
Stage IIa:
|
T0N1M0
|
T1N1M0
|
T2N0M0
|
Stage IIb:
|
T2N1M0
|
T3N0M0
|
Locally advanced breast cancer
|
Stage IIIa:
|
T0N2M0
|
T1N2M0
|
T2N2M0
|
T3N1M0
|
T3N1M0
|
T3N2M0
|
Stage IIIb:
|
T4, any N, M0
|
Stage IIIc:
|
Any T, N3M0
|
Metastatic breast cancer
|
Stage IV:
|
Any T, any N, M1
|
Updated 10/26/09
