Stage 0 breast cancers are often called pre-cancers, pre-invasive cancers or breast carcinoma in situ. With stage 0, abnormal cells in the breast have some cancer characteristics, but they have not yet spread into other tissues or organs.
In fact, the majority of stage 0 breast cancers are found by accident, such as during a routine mammogram or screening. “Stage 0 breast cancer is not a reason to hit the panic button, but it is a diagnosis that is serious enough to warrant concern,” says Eugene Ahn, MD, Medical Oncologist at City of Hope Chicago.
More than 98 percent of patients who are diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer survive at least five years after their original diagnosis. While a few patients will experience recurrences, the survival rates are still encouraging.
Even though Stage 0 breast cancer is considered “non-invasive,” it does require treatment, typically surgery or radiation, or a combination of the two. Chemotherapy is usually not part of the treatment regimen for earlier stages of cancer.
Surgery is the main treatment for DCIS. Most women are offered breast-conserving surgery. If there are several areas of DCIS in the breast, doctors may do a mastectomy to make sure that all of the cancer is removed.
It's important to understand that radiation and hormone treatments do not change survival—the 10-year survival rate for women diagnosed with DCIS is 98% regardless of whether they receive either treatment. These treatments instead reduce the risk of breast cancer down the road.
Stage 0 breast cancer. Stage 0 breast cancers are often called pre-cancers, pre-invasive cancers or breast carcinoma in situ. With stage 0, abnormal cells in the breast have some cancer characteristics, but they have not yet spread into other tissues or organs.
A condition in which abnormal cells that look like cancer cells under a microscope are found only in the place where they first formed and haven't spread to nearby tissue. At some point, these cells may become cancerous and spread into nearby normal tissue.
stage 0 – the cancer is where it started (in situ) and hasn't spread. stage 1 – the cancer is small and hasn't spread anywhere else. stage 2 – the cancer has grown, but hasn't spread.
Stage 0 cancers are still located in the place they started. They have not spread to nearby tissues. This stage of cancer is often curable. Surgery can usually remove the entire tumor.
The term 'metastasis' means cancer has spread to other organs. Although breast cancer has not spread at stage 0, a person may require treatment to prevent future metastasis.
If you remain in complete remission for five years or more, some doctors may say that you are cured, or cancer-free.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the earliest stage of breast cancer, which is why it's sometimes referred to as stage 0 breast cancer. DCIS, by definition, is cancer that starts in the cells lining the milk ducts (carcinoma) and remains in the area where it originates (in situ).
DCIS also is referred to as stage 0 breast cancer. Women diagnosed with DCIS have very good prognoses. Ten years after DCIS diagnosis, 98% to 99% of women will be alive. Based on this good prognosis, DCIS usually is treated by lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy.
Which type of breast cancer surgery is best for my cancer? Most women with DCIS or breast cancer can choose to have breast-sparing surgery, usually followed by radiation therapy. Most women with DCIS or breast cancer can choose to have a mastectomy.
Stage 0: Stage zero (0) describes disease that is only in the ducts of the breast tissue and has not spread to the surrounding tissue of the breast. It is also called non-invasive or in situ cancer (Tis, N0, M0). Stage IA: The tumor is small, invasive, and has not spread to the lymph nodes (T1, N0, M0).
Stage I means the cancer is small and only in one area. This is also called early-stage cancer. Stage II and III mean the cancer is larger and has grown into nearby tissues or lymph nodes. Stage IV means the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
Radiation is typically used after lumpectomy. But it might not be necessary if you have only a small area of DCIS that is considered low grade and was completely removed during surgery.
Will DCIS return or spread? Since DCIS is a noninvasive form of cancer, it does not spread throughout the body (metastasize). For patients having a lumpectomy with radiation, the risk of local recurrence ranges from 5% to 15%.
Most prospective trials in DCIS patients used conventionally fractionated whole-breast RT up to a total dose of 48-50 Gy. Hypofractionation with single doses of 2.5-2.7 Gy up to total doses of 40-42.5 Gy have been extensively studied in invasive breast cancer.
Summary: Elevated levels of anxiety may cause women with ductal carcinoma in situ, the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer, to overestimate their risk of recurrence or dying from breast cancer, suggests a new study.
The poorest prognosis is for metastatic breast cancer (also known as stage IV or advanced breast cancer). This is when the cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
Official answer. Metastatic breast cancer (also called stage IV, stage 4, secondary breast cancer, or advanced breast cancer) has the poorest prognosis. This is when cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to create tumors in other parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, liver, or brain.