All you need to know about breast cancer and its advanced stages
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer becomes prevalent when the benign tumor in breast grows. If not with naked eyes, the cells of tumor become visible in x-ray results and the growing lump can be detected as malignant, affecting surrounding tissues. In addition to the context, stage 4 of breast cancer is considered to be the most critical phase, with a low rate of survival.
Is breast cancer common among women?
Apart from skin cancer, this one is the most common cancers that women face, and there is a 12% risk that the woman will develop the disease. Following are some staggering details about this advanced breast cancer.
- Around 40,920 women die from advanced breast cancer
- In 2018, 266,120 new cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed among women
- The death ratio of advanced breast cancer has decreased by 39% from 1989 to 2015
- More than 3.1 million survivors of advanced breast cancer are leading their lives in the country
- The rate of this advanced breast cancer is increasing by 0.3% in every year in the African-American community
Stages of breast cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, there are, primarily, four stages of cancer.
- Stage 1
During the earliest stage, the tumor does not go beyond 2 cm and cancer clusters only exist in lymph nodes. - Stage 2
In this stage, cancer spreads in surrounding tissues while giving rise to several lymph nodes. Moreover, the tumor size does not remain restricted within 2 cm - Stage 3
The tumor growth takes severe turns resulting in skin ulcers or inflammation. - Stage 4
It is the most critical stage for advanced breast cancer as the carcinogenic properties spread all over the body.
Symptoms of the advanced stages of breast cancer
During the most crucial stage, women are susceptible to undergo various stage including skin changes, breast lump, swelling, fatigue, nipple discharge and insomnia.
- Due to inflammatory breast cancer, there might be certain skin changes, causing swelling, redness, and blocking of the lymph vessels
- In the early phase, the breasts may look normal, but with the gradual growth, swelling can be widely seen
- A lump in the breast area is a common sign of critical metastatic breast cancer, and the swelling spreads out in the affected arm
Top cancer centers in the country for advanced breast cancer
Women diagnosed after five years due to suffering from stage 4 breast cancer have a 22% chance of surviving; during the third stage, there is a 72% survival rate. If the critical condition is not diagnosed at an early stage, the chances of survival decrease. However, there are several top metastatic cancer centers in the country, giving a new life to those affected:
- Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
- UCLA Medical Center
- University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Cleveland Clinic
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
