This is the very beginning of the scale, Stage 0 breast cancer . It describes noninvasive breast cancers or precancers. This includes the most common form of noninvasive cancer, called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Within stage 0, there is no evidence that cancer cells or other abnormal cells have invaded neighboring normal tissue. 

Stage I describes a very early stage of invasive cancer. At this point, tumor cells have spread to normal surrounding breast tissue but are still contained in a small area. Stage I is divided into two subcategories:

• In stage IA, a tumor measures up to 20 millimeters (about the size of a grape), and      there’s no cancer in the lymph nodes.
• Stage IB can be described as either:
  • a small tumor  in the breast that is less than 20 millimeters plus small clusters of cancer cells in the lymph nodes; or
  • no tumor in the breast plus small clusters of cancer cells in the lymph nodes. 

Stage II describes cancer that is in a limited region of the breast but has grown larger. It reflects how many lymph nodes may contain cancer cells. This stage is divided into two subcategories.

Stage IIA is based on one of the following:

• Either there is no tumor in the breast or there is a breast tumor up to 20 millimeters  (about the size of a grape), plus cancer has spread to the lymph      nodes under the arm.
• A tumor of 20 to 50 millimeters is present in the breast, but cancer   has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IIB is based on one of these criteria:

• A tumor of 20 to 50 millimeters is present in the breast, along with cancer that has      spread to between one and three nearby lymph nodes.
• A tumor in the breast is larger than 50 millimeters, but cancer has      not spread to any lymph nodes.  

In stage III breast cancer, the cancer has spread further into the breast or the tumor is a larger size than earlier stages. It is divided into three subcategories.

Stage IIIA is based on one of the following:

• With or without a tumor in the breast, cancer is found in four to nine nearby lymph nodes.
• A breast tumor is larger than 50 millimeters, and the cancer has spread to between one and three nearby lymph nodes.

In stage IIIB, a tumor has spread to the chest wall behind the breast. In addition, these factors contribute to assigning this stage:

• Cancer may also have spread to the skin, causing swelling or inflammation.
• It may have broken through the skin, causing an ulcerated area or wound.
• It may have spread to as many as nine underarm (axillary) lymph nodes or to nodes near the breastbone.

In stage IIIC, there may be a tumor of any size in the breast, or no tumor present at all. But either way, the cancer has spread to one of the following places:

• ten or more  underarm (axillary) lymph nodes
• lymph nodes near the collarbone
• some underarm lymph nodes and lymph nodes near the breastbone
• the skin  

Stage IV is the most advanced stage of breast cancer. It has spread to nearby lymph nodes and to distant parts of the body beyond the breast. This means it possibly involves your organs — such as the lungs, liver, or brain — or your bones.

Breast cancer may be stage IV when it is first diagnosed, or it can be a recurrence of a previous breast cancer that has spread. 

There are two main types of male breast cancer: infiltrating (or invasive) breast carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ.     

A baseline mammogram is usually the first screening mammogram a woman gets. It's used for comparison with follow-up screenings .

 A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast. Doctors use a mammogram to look for early signs of breast cancer. Regular mammograms can find breast cancer early  

A biopsy is a procedure to remove a piece of tissue or a sample of cells from your body so that it can be tested in a laboratory. 

 Urgency…How urgent is breast cancer surgery Cancer treatment is always urgent. The sooner you begin treatment, the better your chances of stopping the cancer from progressing. Statistically, breast cancer surgery has a better success rate when it occurs within eight weeks of your diagnosis. This is true regardless of the stage of cancer  Surgery is to remove the cancer. 

Type of Surgery...What is the surgery for breast cancer? Breast cancer surgery includes different procedures, such as: Surgery to remove a portion of the breast tissue, called lumpectomy. Surgery to remove all of the breast tissue, called mastectomy. Surgery to remove nearby lymph nodes. 

 Recovery…What happens after breast cancer surgery? It can take some time to adjust to a new body shape after breast cancer surgery. The swelling and bruising will go down and the scars from your operation will become less obvious. You'll get used to your new body shape and false breast shape (prosthesis) if you wear one.

  Surgery recommended…When is surgery recommended for breast cancer Surgery is the main treatment for stage I breast cancer.

The nearby lymph nodes will also need to be checked, either with a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). 

What happens after surgery depends on the type of operation you have had. Many people now have breast surgery as a day case or go home the following day. If you have breast reconstruction at the same time you are more likely to be in hospital for 2 to 7 days.

Breast Reconstruction Surgery

Breast Cancer Women who have surgery as part of their breast cancer treatment may choose breast reconstruction surgery to rebuild the shape and look of the breast. 

Two main Types of breast reconstruction procedures.

 The two main types of breast reconstruction are implant reconstruction and tissue (flap) reconstruction. Sometimes the implant and flap procedures are used together to rebuild a breast. 

Chemotherapy and Radiation and Medication to prevent more cancer can be offered if you've already had successful surgery. 

--------------------------------------------

Resource Information- 

American Cancer Societyhttps://www.cancer.org 

https://www.mayoclinic.org -BIOPSY

 Source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Preventiont

 https://my.clevelandclinic.org   

 https://www.mskcc.org/