The sentinel lymph node When cancer spreads, the lymph node located closest to the original tumor (the sentinel node) is usually affected first.
In theory, breast cancer can spread to any part of your body, but it most commonly spreads to your lymph nodes, lungs, liver, bones and, sometimes, your brain. Keep in mind, though, that even if your breast cancer spreads to other areas of your body, it's still considered breast cancer.
Signs that breast cancer may have spread to the bones
Unexplained back pain, difficulty walking, numbness and loss of bladder or bowel control. Feeling sick and being sick, fatigue, passing large amounts of urine, confusion and being thirsty, which may be signs of high levels of calcium in the blood.
Studies show that even though breast cancer happens more often now than it did in the past, it doesn't grow any faster than it did decades ago. On average, breast cancers double in size every 180 days, or about every 6 months.
If the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 86%. If the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 30%. The relative survival rate for breast cancer is 9% lower in Black women compared to White women.
Because of this, triple-negative breast cancer is considered to be more aggressive than other forms of breast cancer.
For example, ductal carcinoma is more likely to spread than lobular carcinoma , among tumors that are the same size and stage. Many breast cancers do not spread to lymph nodes until the tumor is at least 2 cm to 3 cm in diameter. Some types may spread very early, even when a tumor is less than 1 cm in size.
Metastatic breast cancer symptoms
If the breast or chest wall is affected, symptoms may include pain, nipple discharge, or a lump or thickening in the breast or underarm. If the bones are affected, symptoms may include pain, fractures, constipation or decreased alertness due to high calcium levels.
TNBC tends to grow quickly, is more likely to have spread at the time it's found, and is more likely to come back after treatment than other types of breast cancer. Because of this, the survival rates for TNBC are generally not quite as high as they are for other types of breast cancer.
All cancers begin as asymptomatic, and all tumors start so small they are undetectable. You can have breast cancer without knowing it for several years, depending on how quickly it starts, grows, and spreads.
Experts are still not sure why left-sided breast cancer appears to be more common. Over the years, researchers have made various hypotheses to try to explain it, such as: the larger size of the left breast. early detection of tumors in those who are righthanded.
Symptoms of breast cancer spread to the bones
Sometimes when bones are damaged by advanced cancer, the bones release calcium into the blood. This is called hypercalcaemia and can cause various symptoms such as: tiredness. feeling sick (nausea)
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a rare type of breast cancer. It is harder to treat and much more aggressive. Because it is aggressive and rare, fewer treatment options are available.
How soon after a breast cancer diagnosis should you have surgery? Breast cancer surgery is often the first course of treatment. In some cases, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy first (called neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to help shrink larger cancer cells. Surgery should come within a few weeks of diagnosis.
“Ductal” refers to the milk ducts in the breast, and “in situ” means “in its original place.” DCIS is a stage 0 cancer, which is the earliest and generally the most treatable form of breast cancer. Although DCIS is noninvasive when it's diagnosed, over time it can become invasive.
Some patients express concerns about whether a breast needle biopsy might cause cancer to spread. But there's no evidence of a negative long-term effect from a breast needle biopsy.
T1 (includes T1a, T1b, and T1c): Tumor is 2 cm (3/4 of an inch) or less across. T2: Tumor is more than 2 cm but not more than 5 cm (2 inches) across. T3: Tumor is more than 5 cm across. T4 (includes T4a, T4b, T4c, and T4d): Tumor of any size growing into the chest wall or skin.
T1: The tumor is 2 cm or less in diameter. T2: The tumor is more than 2 cm but less than 5 cm across. T3: The tumor is larger than 5 cm in width. T4: The tumor can be of any size but is growing into the chest wall or skin.
Removal of cancerous lymph nodes may help stop the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. Cancer cells using the lymph system to spread may get stuck in lymph nodes. Cancer cells may cause the lymph nodes to become enlarged.
Cancer can also start in the lymph nodes. These are called lymphomas. "In general, cancers that have spread to the lymph nodes are typically stage 2 or 3," says Juan Santamaria, MD, Nebraska Medicine surgical oncologist. "Many of these cancers are still treatable and even curable at this stage.
If your breast cancer has spread to your lymph nodes, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy. Age. Breast cancer that occurs at a younger age may be more aggressive than cancer that develops later in life.