Male Breast Cancer Staging & Grading

Breast cancer among men is atypical and constitutes for below one percent of all the breast cancer cases with the key cancer forms being analogous among both the sexes.

The cancer staging depicts the extent and if the cancer has metastasized past its initial location. When doctors gain knowledge of the exact form and the staging of the cancer it assists them in deciding on the apt line of treatment.

Among a number of individuals the cancer could have metastasized to other areas of the body either making an entry into the blood or via the lymphatic system (the system that partly dons the role in the body’s safeguard from infection and ailment. The lymphatic system comprises of a net of lymph glands (nodes) which are interconnected via lymph fluid filled delicate ducts. The area adjacent to the lymph nodes would be examined for ascertaining the staging of the cancer.

A widely utilised staging system is illustrated below:

• Stage 1
  The tumor measuring below two centimetres in width. The lymph glands present in the underarm area have not yet shown the presence of the cancer and there are no evident indications of cancer having reached other areas of the body.
• Stage 2
  The tumor measuring two to five centimetres in width, or the lymph glands present in the axilla or underarm area are having the presence of cancer or both of these could occur. Yet, any further increase of the cancer is not seen.
• Stage 3
  The tumor is above five centimetres in width and could be affixed to the adjacent muscles or skin. The lymph glands would show the presence of the cancer, however the cancer has not yet reached further past the breast or the lymph glands present in the axilla.
• Stage 4
  Irrespective of the extent of the tumor, the cancer has reached the lymph glands and other areas of the body like the bone or lungs. This is known as secondary or metastatic breast cancer.

Grading

Grading depicts the microscopic form of the cancerous cells and offers information of the manner in which the cancer would progress. Grading is of three types:

• Grade 1 or low grade- indicating that the cancerous cells bear similarity to the healthy breast cells. Such cancerous cells are generally slow in growth and spreading.
• Grade 2 or moderate, intermediate grade.
• Grade 3 or high grade – The tumors appear anomalous have greater likelihood of swiftly growing and spreading.