Breast Cancer | Stage Levels

Breast cancer is staged in four different levels from 0 to 4. Level zero usually is non – invasive and cancer cells are in the same locations that haven’t yet spread. Level one are invasive cancerous cell that are starting to invade other cells around them. Usually they measure up to 2 centimeter and in this level no lymph nodes are involved yet. Level two is divided into two subcategories: level 2A and level 2B.



In level 2A breast cancer are invasive but the tumor is less than 2 centimeter and has reached into the axillary lymph node, no tumor found but the cancerous cells are found in the lymph node under the arms or the tumor measures more than 2 centimeter but less than 5 and has not reached the axillary lymph mode. In level 2B it’s also classified as invasive but the tumor is larger than 2 centimeter but smaller than 5 and has reached the axillary lymph node or the tumor is larger than 5 centimeter but has not spread into the axillary lymph node. 

Normal cells vs. cancerous cells

Level three is also divided into three subcategories 3A,3B,3C In LEVEL 3a there is no tumor found but there are cancerous cells in the axillary lymph node and are sticking to other structures, it can also be the cancerous cells are any size that are spread into the axillary lymph node and are sticking to different structures. In level 3B the cancerous cells are spread into the chest wall and/or in the breast skin and the lymph node that are sticking together on different structures. In level 3C the cancerous cells are spread into the lymph node near the breast stone or the axillary lymph node, in level 4 the cancerous cells are more advanced and invasive and are spread throughout the body not only in the breast.