Breast Cancer Survival Rates - Stage Three Breast Cancer
The Whole Truth and Nothing by The Truth on the Survival RatesStage 3 Breast Cancer is one of the more advanced stages of breast cancer and is usually divided into two categories Stage 3A and Stage 3B. Also, doctors and surgeons have further classified more aggressive stage 3 cancers as Stage 3C breast cancer.
Depending on the type of Stage 3 cancer the five-year survival rate for women can vary from 49% to 67%.
Stage 3A breast cancer is usually larger than 5 centimeters in diameter. Also, the cancer has considerably spread to the axillary lymph nodes. Spreading to any other lymph node in the human body is not uncommon in stage 3A cancer. The survival rate for Stage 3A cancer ranges from 56% to 67%.
Stage 3B cancer can be of any size and has spread to other nearby tissues other than the breast. Like in Stage 3A, Stage 3B cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes and possibly other lymph nodes in the body. The five-year survival rate for stage 3b breast cancer ranges from 49% to 54%.
Stage 3C Breast cancer is a more aggressive type. It is present in adjoining tissue such as the skin or muscles. The spreading of the aggressive cancer cells may appear in 10 or more lymph nodes under the arms or around the neck and collar.
Treatment for stage 3 breast cancer usually involves mastectomy or the removal of either or both breasts. The affected lymph nodes are also removed as a safety and standard precaution for remission or re-occurrence. After surgery, doctors/surgeons typically recommend radiation and chemotherapy after the surgery.
The data for this article is taken from The U.S. National Cancer Institute.