| You must accept the fact that not all patients who | | | | B), and the advanced stage (stage 4). The treatment |
| undergo breast cancer treatments are able to | | | | plan is generally based on the stage of the breast |
| survive. It is but natural for you to want to know | | | | cancer. |
| about the breast cancer survival rate before you | | | | Today, the survival rates for breast cancer are 86% |
| decide to go for a particular treatment. | | | | (for the 5-year period after diagnosis) and 76% (for |
| Survival rates differ and it would depend on the | | | | the 10-year period). |
| stage of the cancer you're currently in. What is this | | | | Breast cancer patients without metastatic has a rate |
| rate all about? | | | | of survival of 96% while those with metastatic has a |
| You can describe the survival rate in several ways | | | | rate of 21%. The percentage is based on the 5-year |
| such as: | | | | period after diagnosis. |
| 1. Time - upon diagnosis, a patient is given 5-10 years | | | | There are also established survival rates for each |
| to survive | | | | stage of breast cancer within the 5-year period. The |
| 2. Recurrence - there are times when recurrence | | | | following are the rates: Stage 0 - 100%, Stage 1 is |
| take place after the cancer cells have been removed | | | | 100%, Stage 2A is 92%, Stage 2B is 81%, Stage 3A |
| 3. Death risk as compared to other people with the | | | | is 67%, Stage 3B is 54%, and Stage 4 is 20%. |
| same health condition | | | | As you can see, if you're still in the 0 and first stage, |
| Survival rate is usually categorized based on the | | | | you have a 100% chance to recover from the |
| breast cancer stages. Stage '0' means that the | | | | disease. It is therefore very important to detect |
| cancer is still non-invasive. The cancerous cells can | | | | breast cancer during these stages. Besides, the |
| only be found in the walls of the lump or mass inside | | | | medications used for the early stages are more |
| the breast. | | | | affordable as compared to the medications or |
| When you reach Stage 1, the tumor has already | | | | treatments given to the late stages. |
| grown about 2 cm long and it is already considered | | | | Now, aside from the stages of breast cancer, the |
| invasive. Stage 2A happens when the tumor is | | | | survival rate is also affected by other factors like |
| already 2 to 5 cm long. | | | | lifestyle, exercise, psychological therapy, and smoking. |
| The Stage 2B refers to tumors more or less 2 cm | | | | Did you know that some breast cancer patients are |
| long but some of the auxiliary lymph nodes are | | | | able to live longer because they made changes in |
| already affected. When the tumor reaches above 5 | | | | their lifestyle? |
| cm and has already affected the lymph nodes, it is | | | | If you want to determine if you have breast cancer |
| already classified as Stage 3A breast cancer; and | | | | or if this disease runs in the family, it would be best |
| when the tumor invades the skin of the breasts, the | | | | to undergo a mammogram or you can also conduct |
| cancer is in Stage 3B. The advanced breast cancer is | | | | self examinations. This is one way of discovering |
| classified under Stage 4 wherein other organs of the | | | | mass or lumps in your breast. The breast cancer |
| body are already infected with the cancer cells. | | | | survival rate is quite high but you'll need to detect |
| The different stages can also be divided into the | | | | the cancer at an early stage. |
| early stage (0 to 2A), the later stage (2B to 3A and | | | | |