Doctors divide breast cancer into four stages that take into account various factors. It may depend on the size of the tumor or whether the cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. In stage 4 breast cancer, the tumor can be any size and the lymph nodes may or may not contain cancer cells. But the cancer has spread to other organs of the body or to the bones.
Testing
Women diagnosed with breast cancer are given tests to determine if or how far the cancer has spread, explains the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). In earlier stages the cancer has not spread to surrounding breast tissue or may be very small, about an inch. In the following stages, the tumor might grow to more than 2 inches. By stage 3, the cancer has spread to skin, the chest wall, ribs, muscles or other lymph nodes in the chest wall.
Stage 4 Survival
When breast cancer reaches stage 4 the cancer may have spread to the liver, lungs, lymph nodes near the collarbone, skeletal system and even the brain. Women in the stage 4 category have a 16 percent five-year survival rate, according to the NBCF. It is a much smaller rate than earlier stages but still brings the possibility of survival.
Earlier Survival Rates
In stage 0 of the disease, when cells have not spread into surrounding breast tissue, there is a 100 percent five-year survival rate. In stage 1, as the tumor has grown a little but has not spread, the survival rate is 98 percent. It drops to 88 percent in stage 2 as the tumor grows larger, and by the end of stage 3, when the cancer begins to spread to other tissues, the five-year survival rate is 49 percent.
Late Evaluation
By stage 4 and for recurrent breast cancer, the cancer may respond to therapy, but many patients are not curable, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Doctors will do an extensive evaluation of the disease prior to treatment that can bring about a possible cure or prolong the life of the patient.
Therapy
Treatment of the spreading cancer may include hormone therapy or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy or surgery may be used for some patients, depending on how far the cancer has spread. All patients in stage 4 or who have recurrent breast cancer are considered candidates for ongoing clinical trials, according to the NCI. Clinical trials may help the patients through experimental treatment so they can also help improve treatment for the future.
