(If you are unfamiliar with staging of tumors, please click HERE for a comprehensive discussion from the American Cancer Society-ACS)
- Summary Staging [NCI SEER data analysis 2000-2005] [ACS Breast Cancer Facts & Figures]
- 61% or breast cancer cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary site- localized. (Stage I and II)
- 31% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes or directly beyond the primary site – regional. (Stage III)
- 6% are diagnosed after the cancer has already metastasized – metastatic (Stage IV)
- Staging information is unknown for 2% remaining
NOTE: This would not include metastatic recurrences. For a complete discussion, click here.
