Test your knowledge: the stages of breast cancer

Most people are familiar with the concept that cancers are diagnosed in “stages.” But do you know what this really means? In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, test your knowledge with these three true or false statements.

1. True or false: there are four stages of breast cancer

False. The staging system for breast cancer has five stages (zero to four). Stage zero is assigned to ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) breast cancer, which means the cancer cells are confined to a duct or lobule. Stage four is assigned to metastatic breast cancer, which means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. In general, the higher the stage, the more cancer has spread through the breasts and to nearby organs.

2. True or false: the stage changes as the cancer evolves

False. A stage describes the location and amount of cancer present in the body when it’s first diagnosed. Since the stage is based on the initial diagnosis, it doesn’t change even if the cancer grows, spreads, or comes back following remission. For example, a stage two breast cancer that eventually spreads to the liver will be referred to as metastatic, but it remains a stage two cancer.

3. True or false: the staging system helps determine a prognosis

True. Doctors use the stage of cancer to predict the course of the disease and the patient’s likelihood of recovery. This is possible because cancers that appear in the same part of the body with the same stage tend to have a similar prognosis. The stage is also used to develop a treatment plan and assign patients to appropriate clinical trials if they wish to participate.