When Breast Cancer Spreads & Staging

I was originally given the diagnosis on Sept 23, 2013 with STAGE 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  Here is the pathology report:

One month later, after multiple tests, my cancer is much worse than we thought. This past week I was told by Dr. Gillott at my follow-up post Sentinel Node Biopsy surgery appointment on 10/24/13, I NOW have been upgraded to STAGE 3B (IIIB). 

I have copied some information I found online about the stages of breast cancer so you can understand how its rated according to size of tumor and metastasis.  I will be posting more information this week regarding all the tests I had to take over the past month in order for the oncology team of doctors to create a game plan to get me healthy again.  I am so blessed to have such loving friends and family, thank you sooo much!

"Cancers are staged according to how advanced they are and how much they've spread. Here are the progressive stages of breast cancer, and how they specify breast cancer spread:

• Stage 0. This is the earliest stage of breast cancer, when the cancer cells have formed a tiny tumor that is not invading any neighboring breast tissue. This is referred to as non-invasive breast cancer.
• Stage I. This is considered invasive breast cancer, in which the cancer cells have formed a small tumor up to 2 centimeters (cm) in size, and finger-like projections of tumor cells have reached out into the normal breast tissues surrounding the tumor.
• Stage II. This stage is used to characterize one of these situations:
  • The tumor is 2 cm in size or less, and breast cancer cells have spread to the nearby axillary (armpit area) lymph nodes
  • The tumor is between 2 and 5 cm in size without spread to axillary lymph nodes.
  • The tumor is between 2 and 5 cm in size and breast cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes
  • The tumor is more than 5 cm in size, but has not spread to the lymph nodes.
• Stage IIIA. The tumor may be under or over 5 cm, and breast cancer cells are in the nearby lymph nodes, which are either are matted together or sticking to adjacent body structures.
• Stage IIIB. The breast cancer cells have metastasized and affect the wall of the chest and may also reach the skin that covers the breast; or they may have spread into other, non-axillary lymph nodes in the chest area.
• Stage IIIC. The breast cancer has metastasized to the lymph nodes around the collarbone and breastbone, as well as to the axillary lymph nodes. A tumor may not even be found in the breast, but breast cancer cells are found in these lymph node areas.
• Stage IV. This is very advanced breast cancer in which the cells are found in other major organs, like the brain, lungs, bones, or liver.

The more breast cancer has spread and the more places in the body that it affects, the more advanced the cancer is, the more difficult treatment becomes, and the poorer the prognosis."
Original Article Source