BREAST CANCER IS SUB CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO HOW IT PRESENTS. CANCER SPECIALISTS CALL IT STAGING.

Stage1 - Stage2 - Stage3 - Stage4

When the primary cancer is small and localized to the breast it is called Stage One Breast Cancer. Some cancers are so small that the patient cannot feel them and they are only seen on the mammogram. This is becoming the most common form detected in the United States, due to the increased use of mammography. Sometimes the primary cancer is so small that is has not yet broken out of the breast duct in which it started. It is sometimes difficult to state that these are truly cancerous, but they are treated as if they are. These cancers are called "intraductal carcinoma or carcinomas insitu". These cancers are removed by surgery and no radiation therapy is given. If the small cancer has broken through the walls of the breast duct in which it started, it is called "infiltrating ductal carcinoma". This cancer is removed surgically and the lymph nodes in the armpit are removed as well. Radiation therapy is then given to make sure that the cancer is cured.