Stage 0 & 1 Breast Cancer
Stage 0 is marked by non invasive breast cancer.
Breast cancer cells or abnormal cells in the breast do not invade neighbouring healthy, normal tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Stage 0 non invasive cancers are usually the breast cancer types:
Stage 1 (I) Breast Cancer
Stage 1 is the first of the following stages in which breast cancer becomes invasive and damages surrounding tissue.
At this early stage, tumors are small (less than 2cm across) and the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
Under the arms, the lymph nodes do not have cancer cells. In later stage breast cancer, the lymph nodes are one of the first areas of the body outside the breast to be affected by breast cancer.
Stage 1 breast cancer responds well to treatment. This is why breast screening is important particularly in women over 40 years of age who are more likely to be affected by breast cancer when they reach 50.
Stage 1 Treatment
Stage 1 treatment options may include:
- Biological Therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Clinical Trials
- Hormone Therapy
- Radiation Therapy
- Surgery
Stage 1 Prognosis & Survival Rates
The prognosis for stage 1 breast cancer is often good providing treatment is given early on.
Stage 1 breast cancer survival rates are high. Studies of breast cancer patients followed up to five years after treatment show approximately 98% of women surviving stage 1 breast cancer. These women usually live much longer than 5 years and enjoy a full life (source: American Cancer Society).