How long do you live with breast cancer? How long do people live with stage three breast cancer? Quality of life after surgery

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Stage 3 breast cancer is a dangerous pathology; life expectancy depends on various factors.

Any oncology poses a threat to life, as it is accompanied by metastasis.

Why are metastases dangerous? Breast cancer statistics

Metastasis is a process in which malignant cells invade lymph nodes and organs. The degree of breast cancer affects the outcome of the pathology.

It is worth saying that the prognosis for this disease is the most favorable of all cancers that can be diagnosed in women.

Breast cancer of the third stage is characterized by metastasis; accordingly, the pathology seriously threatens life. Metastases in oncology shorten life by 2-3 times.

The prognosis for survival in breast cancer depends directly on metastasis, but tumor size is also taken into account.

Breast oncology has been fully studied: many methods have been developed in medicine to combat this disease.

Stage 3 breast cancer is a common pathology. Every year it is diagnosed in 600,000 women over 30 years of age.

The disease can develop in representatives of the fairer sex who live in large cities. Many people are interested in how long they live with breast cancer.

Survival with therapy can range from 2 to 11 years. But history has recorded cases where women with breast cancer managed to live for 20 years.

In recent years, breast carcinoma has become common, and the number of women affected has increased significantly.

About the importance of preventive examination

Oncological diseases must be detected in a timely manner. If a woman is diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, her life prognosis can be improved if therapy is started on time.

Survival rates for breast cancer vary, but any girl should undergo a preventive examination. You should visit an oncologist every 4 to 5 months.

Diagnostics will allow timely detection of the tumor process and the degree of malignancy.

Diagnostics is effective in identifying adenocarcinoma. Most women seek help late.

When a patient comes in for an appointment, the doctor may detect an aggressive form of breast cancer. If the tumor progresses, treatment becomes difficult.

But here, too, it is necessary to use modern methods of modern medicine. Stage 4 breast cancer offers little chance of cure.

In this case, a combination of drug and surgical therapy is required. The doctor may prescribe hormonal medications.

Carrying out therapy

Breast cancer is a dangerous and unpredictable disease. How long do they live after surgery? Much depends on the age of the patient.

Preventive diagnosis involves mammography. The procedure allows us to identify the most favorable one in this case.

Mammography is a highly effective procedure that makes it possible to determine the stages of breast cancer.

During the procedure, you can see how large the malignant tumor has reached. If it is still in the early stages, treatment is easier. Stage 2, taking into account hormonal levels.

In pregnant women, the tumor grows faster, so it is necessary to take therapeutic measures as early as possible.

What affects survival?

The stages of breast cancer affect tumor growth, but it has been found that malignant tumors grow faster in young women.

It is not so much the tumor that poses a threat to life as metastasis. The survival rate depends on the stage of the disease.

The first stage of breast cancer is the most favorable: with timely treatment, it can be cured.

Stage 2 breast cancer has a worse prognosis. If oncology is treated in the early stages, ten-year survival is guaranteed in 98% of cases.

Stage 3 breast cancer is dangerous: life expectancy of 10 years is observed in 20 - 35% of cases.

In addition to age, stage and characteristics of the body, life expectancy is influenced by:

• size of education;
• its localization;
• effectiveness of therapy;
• clinical picture.

A tumor with metastases is always dangerous. The prognosis of the disease is influenced by the location of the carcinoma.

The formation is located in one of the quadrants of the chest. Survival from breast cancer depends on how quickly the cancerous cells spread.

Where they spread is also taken into account. If the formation is located in the outer quadrants, the prognosis is most favorable (subject to timely treatment).

Diagnosis of a tumor located in the outer quadrants is not difficult. The formation is removed surgically.

If the tumor is located in the central zones, the prognosis will not be so good: in this case, the tumor is more difficult to treat.

It is unknown how long a patient with this pathology will live. A tumor in the medial and central zones differs in that malignant cells spread at a faster rate and cover more organs. Tumor cells affect the lymph nodes.

Size of malignancy and outcome of the disease

The size of the formation plays an important role in determining the prognosis. Depending on the stage of breast cancer, the tumor can reach 0.5, 1, 2, 3 or more than 5 cm.

Five-year survival depends on the size of the formation and location in the lymph nodes.

1. If the tumor does not exceed 2 cm in size, five-year survival is observed in 90% of cases.
2. If the formation does not reach a size of 5.5 cm, the five-year survival rate is 40 - 50%.
3. diagnosed in young women. Pathology is rarely detected in women who have crossed the 40-year mark. We will cure stage 1 cancer. The inflammatory form of carcinoma is more difficult to treat, and the prognosis will be disappointing.
4. Provided radical treatment at stage 1 of the disease, the probability of ten-year survival will be 85 - 98%. At stage 3 of infiltrative cancer, the tumor reaches 5 cm, and metastasis occurs in regional lymph nodes. The five-year survival rate is 33 - 45%.
5. At stage 1, the size of the tumor does not exceed 2 cm, the lymph nodes are not affected, and the metastases are distant. Five-year survival is observed in 85% of cases.
6. The second stage of breast cancer is not as dangerous as the others, the size of the formation is 2 - 5 cm. The lymph nodes located in the armpits are affected. The five-year survival rate is 50 - 60%.
7. At stage 3, the tumor grows and subsequently reaches 6 - 7 cm. Nearby breast tissue is affected, and the lymph nodes are also affected. The five-year survival rate is 41%. Stage 3 breast cancer is life-threatening because it can metastasize.
8. At stage 4, extensive damage to the lymph nodes occurs. There are metastases in the internal organs. The body cannot function normally. The five-year survival rate is 10%.

Metastasis greatly influences the prognosis. Oncology in the metastatic stage is incurable.

If you start therapy from the moment of spread of metastases, life expectancy will be 3.5 years.

In 20 - 35% of cases, patients live more than 5 years. Cases have been recorded where women with breast cancer, when metastases spread, managed to live for 9 years.

Invasive carcinoma

The degree of disease plays an important role in determining life prognosis. is a carcinoma that has invaded the breast tissue.

The disease is characterized by the fact that after some time, malignant cells enter vital organs (spread occurs through the blood).

The beginning of metastasis is considered to be an increase in the lymph nodes located in the armpits. If stage 3 breast cancer progresses, cancer cells quickly invade the organs.

Preinvasive cancer is a disease in which the milk ducts are affected. In this case, malignant cells have not yet formed in the breast tissue.

At the stage of pre-invasive cancer, cells divide and the tumor becomes larger. Breast carcinoma should be treated at an early stage, but the prognosis can be disappointing, since pre-invasive cancer can become invasive.

If breast cancer is treated, how long do they live after surgery? The grade plays an important role in determining the prognosis.

It is characterized by the rapid spread of carcinoma to breast tissue.

The affected cells easily penetrate into the blood and lymph nodes. They soon spread throughout the body and lead to organ damage.

Invasive ductal carcinoma is common among women. Life expectancy for breast cancer also depends on the type of pathology. Invasive ductal carcinoma is a very common disease.

Lobular infiltrative carcinoma

At the initial stages, the disease does not produce symptoms, and accordingly, the woman has no idea that she is sick. It is important to take a closer look at the chest.

Infiltrative lobular cancer manifests itself, located in the chest. If the shape of the mammary gland has changed, you should sound the alarm.

You should carefully examine the skin. If invasive cancer progresses, the breast skin will peel and become wrinkled. The symptom of the disease is discharge from the nipples. Whitened skin can be seen on some areas of the chest.

If a woman exhibits at least one of the above symptoms, she should consult a mammologist.

To identify the cause of such symptoms, you need to undergo an examination. It is important to say that a breast tumor requires complex treatment.

Depending on the type of pathology, hormonal therapy, chemical therapy, or surgery may be prescribed. In most cases, the doctor prescribes treatment using a combination of techniques.

Diagnostics allows us to identify the stage of the malignant process. All tests are taken into account in determining the diagnosis.

When choosing a treatment method, the doctor takes into account the patient’s age. Is there a cure for breast cancer? This question cannot be answered unambiguously.

The forecast is influenced by a combination of different factors. When determining life expectancy, the doctor takes into account the stage of the disease, the size of the tumors, metastasis in the lymph nodes and organs. If cancer is detected early, the prognosis can be improved.

The most favorable prognosis is in cases where the tumor size does not exceed 2 cm, and treatment is carried out at an early stage.

Luminal breast cancer also requires serious treatment. If metastasis is not observed in regional lymph nodes, the prognosis improves.

To fight the tumor, the doctor prescribes Herceptin - this is a biologically active drug that suppresses the growth of malignant cells. The active substances of Herceptin do not affect healthy tissue.

When is the prognosis poor?

If lymphedema develops, the disease causes damage to the lymphatic system. Lymphedema is characterized by a violation of the outflow of lymph from the capillaries.

The result of the disease is tissue swelling. The mammary gland also swells, which leads to breast enlargement. The increase occurs due to the tumor.

If a malignant tumor grows in tissues and organs located nearby, the prognosis will be unfavorable.

With a large number of formations, the prognosis is also disappointing. It happens that tumor cells quickly spread to the lymph nodes, in which case the prognosis worsens. With metastasis of the lungs, kidneys, liver and bones, the prognosis is poor.

Prognosis for lobular breast cancer

Lobular carcinoma develops in women after 45 years of age. As a rule, it is not observed in women over 50 years of age.

The peculiarity of the pathology is that malignant formations are located in different parts of the breast. The process takes place in the upper and outer quadrants.

Stage 3 lobular breast cancer is not easy to recognize. As this disease develops, not very distinct tumors form in the breast.

They are visible under a microscope. There are cases when lobular cancer is diagnosed along with other types of the disease.

Infiltrative lobular breast cancer is a late stage of lobular carcinoma. The pathology is diagnosed in women aged 45 to 50 years.

The disease manifests itself as dense tumors without clear outlines, their size does not exceed 5 cm. Malignant nodes can be detected in different segments of the chest.

After the malignant process spreads inside the mammary gland, secondary lesions will form.

Infiltrating lobular carcinoma can affect both breasts. The prognosis in this case is disappointing. Diagnosing the pathology can be difficult.

If infiltrating lobular carcinoma is accompanied by metastases, it is more difficult to overcome. The prognosis for breast cancer in this case does not exceed 3 years.

If the tumor was detected at stage 1, a cure for the disease is possible in 90% of cases. Average survival after treatment is 5 years.

Infiltrating lobular carcinoma can cause complications, and then the five-year survival rate will be 55%.

Carcinoma that is hormone dependent

Before choosing treatment tactics, the doctor examines the mammary glands. It is important to determine whether hormones influence tumor growth.

If the diagnostic test is positive, it means that certain hormones (usually female) provoke tumor growth.

In such a situation, the doctor prescribes hormonal therapy. Treatment of this nature is also indicated for those who may have an unfavorable outcome of the disease.

Hormonal treatment is prescribed to patients for whom chemotherapy is not recommended. Hormonal drugs can be prescribed to women under 55 years of age. Such medications are prescribed for acute infectious diseases.

If there is a history of kidney and liver dysfunction, the doctor may prescribe hormone-containing medications.

Hormonal therapy is divided into several types. The choice depends on the type of tumor. The age of the patient must be taken into account.

Androgens may be prescribed to treat hormone-dependent carcinoma. These medications lower estrogen levels.

Corticosteroids block the connection of sex hormones with tumor cells. Ovariectomy is a radical method of therapy.

The procedure involves removing the ovaries. As you know, these organs produce sex hormones.

The choice of therapy depends on the stage of the disease. When a doctor prescribes medications, he takes into account concomitant ailments.

Hormone-dependent carcinoma is diagnosed in 40% of women with breast cancer. The danger of the pathology is that as it progresses, hormones stimulate the growth of cancer cells.

Accordingly, you need to take medications to suppress hormones. Is it possible to cure breast cancer, what is the prognosis?

It is important to get diagnosed on time.

With an integrated approach to treatment, a favorable prognosis is possible. It is impossible to prevent the process of metastasis - this is why breast cancer is dangerous.

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How long do you live after breast cancer? It is impossible to answer the question unambiguously. It all depends on the degree, age and metastasis of the pathology.

The third stage of breast cancer in medical practice is the stage at which the cancer has spread to several nearby lymph nodes. In addition, doctors designate the third stage as the period of cancer development when the size of the tumor exceeds 5 centimeters and the disease has spread to at least one lymph node, but has not reached distant organs.

In stage three, the cancer sometimes moves to the chest wall or skin of the breast.

This diagnosis can come as a shock to any patient, but it is important to understand that cancer treatments are constantly improving, and therefore the life expectancy of people with cancer is increasing from year to year.

In the current article, we will look at the survival rate for stage 3 breast cancer, and also talk about available therapeutic strategies, remission and ways to psychologically combat the disease.

Life expectancy and survival rate

The life expectancy of patients with cancer depends on many factors

According to the US National Cancer Institute, women with stage 3 breast cancer have an approximately 72% chance of surviving five years from diagnosis.

This means that 72 out of every 100 women survive 5 years from the discovery of stage 3 cancer.

For comparison, the same rate for stage zero or stage one breast cancer is almost 100%, for stage two it is 93%, and for stage four it is about 22%.

If we talk about breast cancer in men, then in this case the survival rate is the same 100% for the first and zero stages, 87% for the second stage and 25% for the fourth.

However, it should be noted that all given values ​​are averaged. Individual life expectancy rates depend on many factors, including, for example, the following:

• health status;
• tumor size;
• the body's response to treatment.

According to the American Cancer Society, the quality of cancer treatment is constantly improving.

In addition, it is necessary to understand that the studies on the basis of which the above figures were obtained reflect the situation five years ago. That is, at present, the survival rate may already be higher than somewhat outdated statistics show.

If a patient wishes to obtain a more accurate life expectancy forecast, he should discuss this issue with his doctor.

Treatment

Treatment for stage three breast cancer depends on individual factors and usually involves a combination of drug therapy and surgery.

Drug treatment usually includes chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, or a combination of these three methods.

Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells using special anti-cancer drugs. This type of treatment is associated with significant side effects, but in most cases these effects go away soon after a person completes treatment.

Side effects of chemotherapy include the following:

• increased risk of developing infections;
• anemia;
• bruising and bleeding;
• hair loss;
• nausea;
• diseases of the oral cavity and gums;
• problems with skin and nails;
• weakening of memory and concentration;
• symptoms .
• fatigue.

The treatment plan may begin with medications that help shrink the tumor so it can be removed more safely by the surgeon.

If the tumor cannot be reduced enough for successful surgery to remove it, your doctor may recommend removing the entire breast. This procedure is called a mastectomy.

The operation to remove a tumor is commonly called a lumpectomy in medicine.

Surgery remains the main therapeutic tool in the fight against cancer.

After surgery, the patient may be offered radiation therapy or chemotherapy. With these treatments, doctors try to reduce the chances of cancer coming back.

If a small tumor is found in a person, the doctor may immediately offer the patient surgery and then move on to chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Some forms of cancer respond well to hormone therapy. In such cases, doctors prescribe patients to take hormones for many years after completing the initial course of treatment.

Remission

Remission is a condition in which the symptoms of cancer completely or almost completely cease to bother the patient. Remission can be complete or partial.

Partial remission means that some of the cancer has disappeared after treatment. Complete remission means that doctors no longer detect signs of cancer in the patient.

Remission does not necessarily indicate that cancer is not present in the body. It only says that doctors cannot find signs of the disease.

It is possible that after remission the cancer will never return. However, no one can guarantee that it has left the body, so the possibility of cancer returning will always exist.

If the cancer comes back, doctors will call the cancer recurrent. Sometimes people are forced to manage cycles of remission and relapse over many years.

In some people, cancer neither develops nor gets smaller. In such cases, doctors say that the cancer is controlled or stable.

Psychological struggle

Despite regular improvements in the quality of cancer treatment, many people panic and experience severe psychological trauma after receiving such a diagnosis.

When people are told about cancer, they may experience a wide range of emotions. Each patient reacts to such news differently.

In such situations, talking with family members or people who have a similar diagnosis can be of psychological benefit. Patients who learn about cancer are also advised not to overexert themselves and take more time for themselves.

During treatment for breast cancer, people may experience significant psychological and physiological changes. For example, chemotherapy can have a significant impact on quality of life.

After a mastectomy, women often begin to realize that breast removal has become a serious psychological challenge for them. Radical operations often affect the sense of one’s own identity, sexuality and have a negative impact on relationships with the opposite sex. Such problems very often affect young women.

You can search for people with similar problems not only in your city, but also in the global computer network

Some patients experience long-lasting side effects from hormone therapy, including fatigue, cognitive changes, and menopausal symptoms.

In such situations, it is helpful for people to seek out support groups. They do not exist in all small towns, but they are quite widely represented on the Internet.

Members of the medical team also help manage stress during treatment and recovery.

Conclusion

Life expectancy and survival rate for stage three breast cancer are indicators that are constantly improving due to the increasing effectiveness of traditional treatment methods and the emergence of new ones.

Currently, the chance of surviving five years with stage three breast cancer is 72% for women and 75% for men. Doctors begin counting the survival period from the day of diagnosis.

However, you should not rely too much on these figures, since life expectancy depends on many individual factors. The attending physician can provide the patient with more detailed information on the survival prognosis.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women and the third most common cause of cancer death overall for both sexes. Among all deaths in oncology, this is 17% among women and 7% including men. But the answer to the question of how long people live with breast cancer will vary from country to country.

Breast cancer - statistics

In Russia, as well as in the CIS countries as a whole, the overall survival rate for breast cancer, taking into account all stages, does not exceed 57%. This is much less than in Europe (80%) and even less than in Israel (87%). In Russia, one woman dies from breast cancer every hour.

The main reason for low survival rate for breast cancer in the CIS is late detection. In 40-47% of cases, malignant breast tumors are detected at stages III-IV. The second reason, although at the 8th International Conference on Breast Cancer in St. Petersburg it was indicated as the main one, is the low quality of treatment for this disease, despite the enormous successes of Western countries in this direction. Even if the disease is detected early, a woman with breast cancer may not receive adequate treatment.

Interesting fact: in the 1980s, the mortality rate from breast cancer in Russia was one of the lowest in Europe. The standardized mortality rate from breast cancer among 15 European countries was 1.5 times higher than in Russia. However, there is not much confidence in the statistics of the USSR.

At the end of the 20th and first decades of the 21st century, with the increase in the incidence of breast cancer throughout the world, mortality from it in highly developed countries steadily decreased, while in Russia it increased irresistibly. Today, mortality from breast cancer among young women in Russia does not differ significantly from European indicators, but in the age group from 45 to 74 years, mortality from breast cancer in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine continues to remain high and even grow, although at a slower pace.

How long do people live with breast cancer at various stages?

Today no one asks the question “can breast cancer be cured?” In modern oncology, this is one of the most studied and successful diseases, and breast cancer at all stages is treated. With adequate treatment, a tumor detected at stage 0 or I is no more dangerous than inflammation of appendicitis or severe pneumonia. But when metastases appear, the chances of recovery drop, although they do not disappear altogether.

Breast cancer can also be cured at stage IV. It is necessary to approach diagnosis and treatment correctly, take into account all the individual characteristics of the tumor, determine not only its histological type and stage, but also genetic and immunochemical development factors, and carry out treatment taking into account all these influences.

The life expectancy of patients with metastatic breast cancer directly depends on the quality of treatment. If in Russia the average life expectancy of women with breast cancer metastases is on average 2-4 years, then in Israel it is 11 years.

Breast cancer survival rates (indicators for the USA, Israel, Europe)

These data are based on the previous treatment results of a large number of people, but they cannot accurately predict what will happen to an individual. The answer to the question “how long do they live with breast cancer” will always be idealized. The outcome of treatment can be influenced by many factors, such as age, general health, quality of treatment, the presence of hormonal receptors, and individual response to treatment. A more favorable prognosis for hormone-dependent tumors in patients over 50 years of age. Young women are typically diagnosed with aggressive types of breast cancer with a hereditary predisposition.

Triple-negative breast cancer is a particular problem. Is it possible to cure this type of cancer? Can. But in this case, it is necessary to use radical and the latest treatment technologies - intraoperative irradiation, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplantation. It is important to remember that breast cancer is curable at any stage, and you should always fight.

Breast cancer prognosis is the likely outcome of the disease. It indicates the likelihood of a patient being completely cured and how long they live with breast cancer.

Breast cancer, according to WHO, is the most common cancer among women around the world. This disease accounts for about 16% of all cases of malignant neoplasms in women. In addition, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in the world among the fairer sex.

After a diagnosis is made, people often begin to think about the prognosis of their illness. But they all want different degrees of information. Some people prefer not to ask about their prospects, while others want to know all the data they can.

It should be understood that the prognosis of the disease is based on statistics from previous years, but each case is unique, and no one can predict what will happen to this particular patient.

The good news is that detecting symptoms early and new treatments can significantly improve breast cancer survival. Currently, in developed countries, the five-year survival rate for all women with breast cancer, regardless of stage and grade, is 80%. Unfortunately, in countries with less favorable medicine, life expectancy is significantly lower.

Due to improved treatment, mortality from this disease has decreased by approximately 25% since 1990. However, women who survive live with the uncertain possibility of disease recurrence and the risk of developing complications from tumor treatment.

Recurrence of cancer and its symptoms usually occurs within 5 years after treatment. Approximately 25% of relapses and about half of new tumors in the contralateral breast develop after 5 years.

What affects the prognosis for breast cancer?

Several factors influence prognosis, risk of recurrence, life expectancy, and treatment success.

Cancer grade

It is known that the prognosis for breast cancer depends on the stage of the disease. But it also depends on its grade, that is, on how the cancer cells look under a microscope. After the doctor removes the tumor during surgery or takes a biopsy from it, he sends samples to a laboratory, where a pathologist determines the extent of the tumor.

Breast cancer has three grades - 1, 2 and 3. The higher the grade, the faster the tumor grows, becomes invasive and metastasizes, and is more likely to recur. Therefore, the doctor takes this information into account when choosing treatment for the patient and determining the likely life expectancy.

Cancer stage

The prognosis of breast cancer depends on what stage the disease was diagnosed at - early or advanced. The earlier a tumor is detected, the greater the chance that it will be small and has not yet metastasized. Non-invasive or invasive cancers in early stages (I and II) have a more favorable prognosis than tumors in later stages (III and IV).

As can be seen from the statistics presented in the table, the prognosis of breast cancer in men is slightly worse than in women. True, this disease is much less common among them.

Type of cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ is divided into comedo and non-comedo subtypes. This division provides additional prognostic information about the likelihood of disease progression and relapse after treatment. Overall, the comedo ductal carcinoma subtype has a worse prognosis. Approximately 10-20% of women with lobular carcinoma develop invasive cancer within 10-15 years of diagnosis. Infiltrative ductal carcinoma tends to metastasize through the lymphatic vessels.

Tumor localization

Tumor location is a significant factor in determining prognosis in breast cancer. If it is ductal carcinoma in situ, or if the tumor has not spread to the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate with proper treatment is as high as 98%. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or beyond the primary tumor site (invasive cancer), the five-year survival rate is approximately 84%. If the disease has metastasized to other organs (most often the lungs, liver and bones), the average rate is 27%.

New drugs (such as aromatase inhibitors) may prolong the life of women with stage IV cancer. The location of the tumor within the breast is also an important prognostic factor. Tumors that develop closer to the outside of the breast tend to develop more easily than those tumors that are located closer to the middle of the breast.

Hormone receptor - positive or negative tumor status

Breast cancer cells may contain receptors (binding sites) for the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Cells that have these binding receptors are called hormone receptor-positive. If they do not have these connecting places, then they are hormone receptor-negative cells. Approximately 75% of breast cancers are estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive or ER+). Approximately 65% ​​of ER-positive tumors are also progesterone-positive (PR-positive or PR+).

Cells that have receptors for at least one of these hormones or both are considered receptor-positive. This cancer is also called hormone-sensitive (hormone-dependent) because it responds to hormonal therapy (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors). Hormone receptor-negative tumors are called hormone insensitive or hormone resistant.

Women have a better prognosis if their tumor is hormone-sensitive, since its cells grow more slowly than receptor-negative ones. Additionally, women with hormone receptor-positive cancer have more treatment options, whereas hormone receptor-negative tumors can only be treated with chemotherapy. The recent decline in mortality rates for this disease has been greatest among patients with ER-positive tumors, in part due to the widespread use of hormonal therapy after surgery.

Tumor markers

Tumor markers are proteins found in the blood or urine when cancer is present. Although they are not used to diagnose tumors, the presence of some of them can help predict how aggressive a patient's disease may be and how the cancer will respond to certain types of drugs.

The main tumor marker for breast cancer is HER2. HER2-positive tumors usually occur in young women; they grow faster and more aggressively than other types of tumors. The HER2 tumor marker is present in approximately 20% of invasive breast cancers. Women with HER2-positive tumors may benefit from treatment with trastuzumab. Other tumor markers for breast cancer include: CA 15-3, CA 27.29, CEA, ER, PgR, uPA and PAI-1.

Gene expression profile

Determining the gene expression profile in tumor tissues allows us to find out the likelihood of disease relapse after completion of treatment. These tests are also used to determine whether to administer adjuvant drug therapy after surgery.

Tumor size and shape

Large tumors pose a higher risk than small ones. Undifferentiated neoplasms that have unclear margins are more dangerous than tumors with clearly defined borders.

Cell division rate

The faster the tumor grows, the more dangerous it is. There are several tests that measure cell division rates and can predict the course of the disease. For example, the mitotic index is a measurement of the rate of cell division. The higher the mitotic index, the more aggressive the cancer.

How can you evaluate the forecast?

Nottingham Prognostic Index - This scale is used to determine the prognosis after surgery for breast cancer. It takes into account three criteria - tumor size, number of affected lymph nodes and tumor grade. After calculating the score on this scale, a prognosis is given, which can be excellent, good, moderate or poor.

• Computer programs. Doctors sometimes use online programs such as Adjuvant for prognosis! Online or Predict. The result is often presented as a percentage of survival 5 or 10 years after diagnosis. Programs also evaluate the benefit of conservative treatment or surgery.
• Oncotype DX – This test analyzes a sample of breast cancer tissue to identify its genetic makeup. This test determines the likelihood of tumor recurrence and its symptoms by analyzing a group of 21 genes, helping the doctor decide which type of treatment is best for the patient.

Disability due to breast cancer

The diagnosis of breast cancer in itself is not a reason for assigning a disability group. However, loss of ability to work associated with this disease, its treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy), and the occurrence of distant metastases in the later stages may be grounds for referral to a medical and social examination. Any disability group can be established - from III to I.

How might the prognosis affect the patient?

Some people have difficulty understanding and accepting information about their prospects. A good prognosis can provide confidence, joy and hope. If the prospects are less rosy, this may cause anxiety about the future. But the patient must understand that no test or analysis can say with complete certainty what will happen to him. Sometimes people with a worse prognosis live longer. At the same time, breast cancer can recur with very good prospects.
Patients may need support from friends and family to cope with the uncertainty that comes with being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a rather difficult diagnosis, but advances in medicine have made it possible not to perceive it as a death sentence. The survival rate for breast cancer is high - every second patient, after receiving complete and correct treatment in the first stages of the disease, lives another 5 years, every third woman lives 10 years.

Causes of breast cancer

They hold the lead in the frequency of detection in women - this pathology is found in every third patient. Doctors have noted two peaks in the incidence of breast cancer. The first is observed in women aged 35-45, in active age. Factors that sharply increase the risk of breast cancer during this period include:

• high level of estrogen in the body;
• early onset of menstrual cycles;
• disruptions of the menstrual cycle;
• diagnosed disorders of the thyroid gland;
• termination of pregnancy;
• first birth at a late age;
• no history of breastfeeding;
• inflammatory and tumor gynecological pathologies.

The second peak incidence is observed in women after 60 years of age. They are characterized by an increased level of estrogen in the blood, which is determined by pathologies of the adrenal glands and high body weight. Women living in megacities are most susceptible to breast cancer.

Factors influencing survival in breast cancer

Medical statistics take a period of 5 years as a basis for calculating the survival rate of women with breast cancer. The decisive factor that directly affects life and cure for breast cancer is the period of the disease in which it was detected. Many, unfortunately, come to specialists late. At the first and second stages of breast cancer, 60% of women turn to doctors, at the third stage – 26%.

The patient’s life directly correlates with the following characteristics of the disease:

• size and type of tumor;
• its placement;
• germination into nearby lymph nodes;
• sensitivity of growth to hormones;
• the condition of the tissues around the tumor;
• rate of metastasis;

When determining the stage of the disease, the size of the tumor and the presence of affected cells in the nearest lymph nodes play an important role. When the cancer is localized in the outer zone of the breast, the outcome is more favorable, since in this case it is detected faster and is easiest to remove.

If a woman does not seek help from specialists in a timely manner and prefers therapy with traditional medicine, then her chances of survival for 5 years will be 15%.

Stages of the disease

There are 5 stages of breast cancer. The classification is based on the size of the tumor.

A formation with a diameter of up to 20 mm and the absence of affected cells in the lymph nodes is determined. Such breast cancer will give a survival prognosis for three out of 4 patients.

There may be two possible ways to develop breast cancer:

• the tumor does not grow, but the lesion will affect the 5 closest lymph nodes;
• the tumor will grow to 50 mm without penetrating the lymph nodes. At this stage of development, only every second patient will be able to survive.

The tumor exceeds the size of 50 mm, the nearest lymph nodes are affected, metastases have penetrated into the bones and chest. At this stage, only 10-15% of the total number of cases will survive.

It is characterized by massive damage to the entire body and cannot be predicted.

Types of breast cancer changes

In case of illness, the type of neoplasm is important. Correct determination of the type of breast cancer and the correct treatment significantly increases the possibility of survival. The following types of breast cancer are distinguished:

• ductal;
• lobular;
• Breast cancer of the inflammatory type;
• triple negative;
• hormone dependent;
• luminal.

These cancers have varying degrees of aggressiveness and cure rates.

Infiltrative duct tumor is most often diagnosed by doctors. It accounts for 2/3 of all identified cases. It is the least aggressive form of neoplasm. Even with significant growth in the ducts, it does not affect neighboring tissues and lymph nodes. The risk of the formation developing into an aggressive form is 30%.

Relapses may occur 10 years after the first operation. An important part of therapy for infiltrative ductal neoplasm is reducing the risk of its recurrence in the future.

How long do people live with breast cancer with this type of tumor? At the early stage, 90% will recover, which is 5 full years of life; in the second stage – 60. In the most severe cases, 25% of patients will live under conditions of persistent treatment.

Lobular breast cancer is a small, dense formation in the upper part of the breast. It is difficult to diagnose in early forms and difficult to cure in later stages. The neoplasm is hormone-dependent, can be treated in the early stages of detection, has an aggressive nature, and in the third and fourth stages forms deep metastases into the surrounding tissues.

This is breast cancer, which has a 45% survival rate if adequate treatment is received in the early stages; in the latter, the number of survivors is 10% after completing the full course of therapy.

Inflammatory-infiltrative breast carcinoma is rarely diagnosed; the main risk group is women 50 years of age and older. It is difficult to diagnose this form because the altered cells replace normal tissue without forming a growth. The process takes place extremely quickly, changes affect the entire breast, reaching the deep layers of tissue, penetrating the lymph nodes.

With timely surgical removal in the early stages, every second person survives until the five-year postoperative period - this is 45% according to statistics.

The hormone-dependent type can be detected mainly in the second and third stages of the disease; Hormone therapy gives a prognosis for breast cancer of up to 25% over a five-year period. If relapses are detected, the outcome is lethal.

Luminal breast cancer has subtypes A and B. Type A is hormone-dependent and is relatively easy to treat if the disease is detected in the early stages. This type of breast cancer has a survival rate of more than 90%. The B subtype of the disease is difficult to treat and often recurs.

How long do you live with breast cancer? Even with early detection of the disease and completion of the full course of therapy, only 40% of patients survive to the five-year mark.

In the first stages of occurrence (stage zero and stage one), triple-negative cancer makes it possible to cure 75% of patients. But already in the second and third stages the rate drops to 40%; with an advanced form of the disease, only one patient out of 10 will be able to live for another 5 years. The danger lies in its aggressive form.

Possibility of cure

Breast cancer is classified as:

• nodal limited;
• nodular infiltrative;
• diffuse edematous;
• diffuse infiltrative.

The nodular form is common and manifests itself in the early stages mainly in the upper outer part of the gland. Gives a favorable outcome if detected early.

The diffuse infiltrative form is an aggressive type of disease that quickly affects distant organs of the body. Activated long after the initial disease. A very unfavorable outcome is given by breast cancer in a diffuse edematous form. At the same time, there is a low cure rate in the early stages - about three years.

In late forms of the disease, this period is very short.

In the fight against breast cancer, they offer hope for prolonging life. Doctors are increasingly saying that the ten-year life expectancy for breast cancer reaches 60% when detected in the early stages. But without a woman’s positive mood and her desire to fight the disease, procedures and medications will not be effective.

A person who lives every minute with a positive attitude is less susceptible to this disease.