Breast cancer, like other cancers, is staged.
This is a determination of how much cancer has spread.
The stages help guide treatment and prognosis.
Illustration by Julie Bang for Verywell Health
Stage 1 breast cancer is confined to where abnormal cell division began.
It has not spread yet to anywhere else in the breast or body.
Therefore, it is further subdivided into Stages 1A and 1B.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
When detected at this early stage, treatment is usually very effective and the prognosis is good.
“Invasive” does not mean cancer has invaded other areas of your body.
Carcinoma in situ is 100% curable with surgery since the cells are completely contained.
Stage 1 tumors are the earliest stage of invasive breast cancer.
These tumors are small, and if they have spread tolymph nodes, the spread is only microscopic.
This does not mean you havemetastatic breast cancer(stage 4 breast cancer).
you could have lymph node metastases even with early-stage disease.
Tumor Grade
Tumor gradeis a number that describes the aggressiveness of a tumor.
Work with your healthcare provider to weigh the pros and cons of each option for your situation.
Does Stage 1 Breast Cancer Need Chemo?
Treatment for stage 1 breast cancer depends on several factors.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
People choose one over the other for several reasons, and it can be a very personal choice.
If you choose a lumpectomy, following up with radiation therapy is usually recommended.
If you opt for a mastectomy, your healthcare provider will talk to you about the option ofbreast reconstruction.
Skin-sparing surgery is becoming more common.
In this procedure, an implant or anexpanderis often placed at the same time as your mastectomy.
Sentinel Node Biopsy
Asentinel node biopsymay be done before your surgery.
Often, chemotherapy is recommended to get rid of any cells that have spread.
Radiation can be done after both lumpectomy and mastectomy.
Even with a mastectomy, the surgeon cannot get every cancer cell.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapyis sometimes used as an adjuvant treatment for stage 1 breast cancer.
The use of chemotherapy is also very dependent on the receptor status of the tumor.
Those with low scores, meanwhile, are not likely to benefit from chemotherapy.
However, these tests are only used in people with estrogen and/or progesterone-positive tumors that are also HER-2 negative.
They are not used in peoplewith triple-negative or HER-2 positive breast cancer.
Estrogen receptor-positive tumors are more likely to have a late recurrence (more than five years after diagnosis).
The drug tamoxifen is often used for premenopausal women.
If other treatments have failed, this may be an avenue to explore.
It’s also very important tobe your own advocate for your cancer care.
Is Stage 1 Breast Cancer Curable?
Even so, going through treatment for stage 1 breast cancer can be challenging.
Side effects are common, especially with chemotherapy, andfatigueis almost universal.
One of the best things you might do for yourself is to gather a support internet.
Even if you are feeling good through your treatment, it can be exhausting.
Ask for help and allow people to give it to you.
Getting involved in a support group or online support community can be priceless.
There is something special about talking to others who are facing the same challenges you are.
It is considered early-stage breast cancer and the prognosis is good.
Talk with your treatment team about what your diagnosis means and what treatment options may be best for you.
Ask any questions you haveyour treatment team is there for that reason!
Approximately 30% of women with early-stage breast cancer will eventually experience metastatic disease.
It can happen within months if it is an aggressive high-grade tumor, or it can take longer.
If stage 1 cancer is treated comprehensively, the risk is fairly low.
It can depend on characteristics of your breast cancer like hormone receptor status and size of the tumor.
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