When abnormal cell growth or mutation occurs in the breast cells, breast cancer develops. Symptoms include, but are not limited to, breast lump, change in size of breast, blood from the nipple, inverted nipple or changes to the breast skin.
Stages
Breast cancer staging is a system used by doctors to identify the extent of the cancer. After testing is done a doctor assigns a number, from 0 to 4 (often expressed in Roman numerals), which is based on how far the cancer has spread throughout the body.
Stage IV
Stage IV breast cancer is considered the end stage where the cancer has spread to different parts of the body. At this stage the cancer may have spread to the lungs, lymph nodes, bones, liver or brain.
Staging Tests
The stage IV breast cancer diagnosis is made after X-rays, blood tests and imaging tests such as MRI, PET scan or CT scan are performed. The stage number is based on the size of the tumor and the spread of the cancer to other areas of the body.
Stage 4 Prognosis
Statistics indicate that the five year survival rate for stage IV breast cancer is 20 percent. There is an extremely low survival rate due to the complications from the spread of the cancer.
Treatment Options
Treatment options include chemotherapy, hormone therapy or no therapy. The decision to pursue further treatment at stage IV breast cancer is based on your doctor's estimate of survival as well as the likelihood of cancer recurrence. Because the side effects from treatments can be brutal for a person with compromised health it may be decided to pursue no further treatments.
Tags: breast cancer, body Stage, cancer spread, pursue further, spread cancer, stage breast, stage breast cancer
