Grading and Staging: Explained

Yes, breast cancer can grow and spread to other parts of your body. For your doctor to determine your treatment and possible outcomes of the treatment, it is essential to understand how aggressive your breast cancer is likely to grow (known as grading) and how extensively it has grown so far (known as staging). You have to understand the basics of this so that your healthcare provider can easily help you decide on your appropriate treatment. 

GRADING: How aggressive does breast cancer grow? 

Breast cancer cells are assigned a grade once they are removed and examined in a laboratory. This grade reflects how closely the cancer cells resemble normal cells and is used to predict the patient’s prognosis and determine the most effective treatments.

• Grade 1 (Low Grade): Indicates slower-growing cancer that is less likely to spread.

• Grade 2 (Intermediate Grade): Represents cancer that grows faster than grade 1 but slower than grade 3.

• Grade 3 (High Grade): Suggests a rapidly growing cancer that is more likely to spread. 

STAGING: Has the breast cancer spread? 

The stage of cancer tells you how big it is and how far it has spread. Breast cancer staging is based on factors such as the type of breast cancer, the size, and location of the tumor, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.

The stages of breast cancer are: 

STAGE 0: The cancer is noninvasive and hasn’t spread beyond the breast ducts.

STAGE I: This stage means the cancer is small and located only in the breast tissue or possibly in nearby lymph nodes. It is considered an early stage of breast cancer.

STAGE II: The tumor >2cm is in the breast and may have spread to nearby lymph nodes. It can be small or larger but hasn’t spread far. It’s still considered early stage.

STAGE III: The cancer has spread from the breast to nearby lymph nodes, skin, or chest wall. It’s often called locally advanced breast cancer.

STAGE IV: The cancer has spread from the breast to other parts of the body, like bones, liver, lungs, or brain. It’s called advanced or secondary breast cancer. Treatment focuses on controlling the cancer and managing symptoms.

By the time you feel a lump, breast cancer may have been growing for years. Without treatment, it can be fatal. It won’t go away on its own, so getting medical care is important as soon as possible.