Stage III breast cancer is considered an advanced stage, but is also still considered to be potentially curable. It is broken down into three subcategories, again all dependent on the size of the tumor and the spread of the disease. There are two possible scenarios for a Stage IIIA classification. The first of these possibilities finds no tumor in the breast tissue, but does find cancer cells in the axillary nodes causing the nodes to clump together or stick to other structures, or cancer cells have been found in the lymph nodes near the breastbone. The second possible scenario for a Stage IIIA classification is a tumor in the breast up to 5 cm (or possibly bigger than 5 cm) as well as cancer cells in the axillary nodes causing the nodes to clump together or to stick to other structures.
Stage IIIB breast cancer distinguishes itself by the involvement of other tissues and lymph nodes. With Stage IIIB, the tumor may be any size, but there will be cancer cells present in the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast. It is also possible that the cancer will have spread to the lymph nodes near the breastbone or to the axillary nodes, where the nodes have begun to clump together or stick to other structures.
With Stage IIIC breast cancer, again the distinguishing factor is the spread of the cancer. There may be a tumor present in the breast, or there may not be. If there is a tumor, it could be of any size, and, as with Stage IIIB, cancer cells may have spread to the chest wall or the skin of the breast. Additionally, the cancer will likely have spread to the lymph nodes either above or below the collar bone, as well as the axillary nodes and the lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Inflammatory breast cancer is a term used when the cancer cells are blocking the lymph vessels in the breast, which causes the breast to appear red, swollen, and warm to the touch. The skin of the breast may also appear pitted, as the skin of an orange appears. Usually, inflammatory breast cancer occurs at Stage IIIB or IIIC or at Stage IV.
Stage IV breast cancer is the stage with the least favorable prognosis because this stage indicates the cancer has spread to other organs and tissues. Stage IV is often referred to as distant metastatic breast cancer. The organs most commonly involved in this stage, in addition to the breast, are the lungs, liver, bones, and brain.
In order to properly diagnose and stage breast cancer, different lab tests and surgeries are required. It is not until these tests and surgeries have been completed, often involving the removal of the tumor and some lymph nodes, that doctors can accurately stage your cancer development.
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