Coping and support (2)
- Palliative care: Easing the course of serious illness
- Support groups: Make connections, get help
Prevention (5)
- Breast cancer chemoprevention: Medicines that reduce breast cancer risk
- Genetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact
- Prophylactic mastectomy: Surgery to reduce breast cancer risk
- see all in Prevention
Risk factors (1)
- Obesity
Symptoms (1)
- Breast lump: Early evaluation is essential
Tests and diagnosis (8)
- Breast cancer types: What your type means
- Breast cancer staging
- Biopsy: Types of biopsy procedures used to diagnose cancer
- see all in Tests and diagnosis
Treatments and drugs (13)
- Lumpectomy
- Mastectomy
- Radiation therapy
- see all in Treatments and drugs
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Breast cancer staging
The stage of breast cancer, along with its type, determines treatment options. Here's a summary of factors considered in breast cancer staging.
By Mayo Clinic staffAfter discovering that you have breast cancer, your doctor will decide what additional tests may be helpful to find out if the disease has spread outside the breast. Called staging, this process provides information about the extent of the disease. Breast cancer staging helps you and your doctor plan your treatment.
Information that helps determine your breast cancer stage
Your doctor determines your breast cancer stage by considering:
- The size of your tumor
- Whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes under your arm (axillary lymph nodes)
- Whether cancer cells have spread to other parts of your body
(1 of 2)
- Edge SB, et al. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: Springer; 2010. http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9780387884400-c4.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-798204-0. Accessed Nov. 25, 2009.
- Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/breast.pdf. Accessed Dec. 3, 2009.
- Moynihan TJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 7, 2009.
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