Stage 2 (II) And Stage 2A (IIA) Breast Cancer Overview
What Does It Mean To Have Stage 2 Breast Cancer?
Stage 2 means the breast cancer is growing, but it is still contained in the breast or growth has only extended to the nearby lymph nodes.
This stage is divided into groups: Stage 2A and Stage 2B. The difference is determined by the size of the tumor and whether the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
For Stage 2 breast cancer, chemotherapy is usually done first, followed by surgery and radiation therapy.
Stage IIA Breast Cancer Means One Of The Following Descriptions Applies.
Either:
No actual tumor is associated with the cancerous cells and less than four axillary lymph nodes have cancer cells present.
OR
The tumor is less than 2 centimeters and less than four axillary lymph nodes have cancer cells present.
OR
The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters and has not yet spread to the lymph nodes.
Stage IIB Breast Cancer Means One Of The Following Descriptions Applies.
Either:
The tumor is between the 2 and 5 centimeters and has spread to less than four axillary lymph nodes.
OR
The tumor is larger than five centimeters, but has not spread to any axillary lymph nodes.
