Breast cancer staging standards and life expectancy

Nowadays, the life expectancy of breast cancer patients can be extended after treatment, and it is no longer a so-called terminal illness. Therefore, breast cancer patients should not worry too much, but should maintain a good attitude and actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment, so that their life expectancy will continue to be extended. Breast cancer is divided into four stages, which is mainly determined by the severity of the disease, that is, the size of the tumor. Of course, the earlier the treatment, the faster the recovery. In the late stage, not only will the patient's body suffer pain, but the treatment difficulty will also increase, and the probability of cancer cells spreading will also increase. Therefore, female friends should always pay attention to their breasts.

Breast cancer staging criteria:

Stage I: The tumor is less than 2 centimeters in size, the axillary lymph nodes are still intact, and the cancer cells have not spread anywhere in the body.

Stage II: The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters in size, or the axillary lymph nodes have been affected, or both, but it has not spread further.

Stage III: The tumor is larger than 5 cm and the axillary lymph nodes have been affected but have not spread further.

Stage IV: This includes tumors of any size. Lymph nodes are usually affected and cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body, known as distant metastasis.

Generally speaking, if the tumor is not large (less than 5 cm) and the axillary lymph nodes cannot be felt, it is Stage I; if the tumor is not large but the axillary lymph nodes are enlarged, it is Stage II; if there is distant metastasis, regardless of the local growth of the tumor or the metastasis of the regional lymph nodes, it is classified as Stage IV. Stage III is the most complicated, with T1N2 and T4N3 representing two extreme cases. Generally speaking, patients with regional lymph node metastasis in the N3 range or local tumor growth in the T4 range have a poor prognosis and may consider radiotherapy or chemotherapy before surgery in order to prolong life.

What is the longest life expectancy for breast cancer?

Breast cancer is currently the most treatable cancer, with surgical treatment, postoperative chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, etc. The 10-year survival rate is very high. Some people will be fine throughout their lives, but if breast cancer develops into an advanced stage, the average survival period is about one year. However, it depends on the patient's specific condition. Different treatment methods will have different effects, and the survival period will also be different. Patients with good treatment effects may survive for more than five years or even live with the tumor for a long time, while patients with poor treatment effects may be life-threatening within three to five months. Therefore, early detection and early treatment are necessary.

Damage caused by breast cancer:

1. A small number of breast cancer patients may experience varying degrees of tenderness or nipple discharge in the early stages. It can cause the skin on the surface of the tumor to become sunken, the nipple to deviate toward the direction of the tumor, or the nipple to become inverted. In the late stages of breast cancer, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis may cause a series of other symptoms.

2. Breast cancer patients may develop "tumor loss of appetite-cachexia syndrome" in the middle and late stages. Loss of appetite is both the cause and clinical manifestation of cachexia. Symptoms such as loss of appetite, anorexia, weight loss, fatigue, anemia and fever may occur, and in severe cases, it may be life-threatening.

3. In the late stage of breast cancer, lymph node metastasis may occur, the ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes will swell, and the number of swollen lymph nodes will continue to increase, and they will adhere to each other into clumps. A small number of patients may have contralateral axillary lymph node metastasis.

How to care for breast cancer patients:

1. Strengthen psychological care

Since breast cancer surgery affects the patient's physical beauty, most patients are extremely depressed, showing irritability, inferiority, and even lack of confidence in treatment. In addition to actively communicating with patients and gaining their full trust, nurses should also adopt the implementation methods that are most easily accepted by patients as much as possible, make frequent rounds and have more conversations, introduce the necessity and importance of treatment, and educate patients on the adverse reactions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and the prevention measures of their complications.

2. Closely observe changes in the condition

The patient underwent surgery under continuous epidural anesthesia and intravenous combined anesthesia. After returning to the ward, the patient should be placed in a supine position and his blood pressure, pulse, and respiration should be closely monitored. After the patient is awake and his vital signs are stable, he is placed in a semi-recumbent position to facilitate breathing and drainage and to avoid or reduce edema of the operated limb. Observe the wound dressing for dryness. In the early stage, local negative pressure suction or chest bandage and sandbag pressure are used to help the skin graft adhere and avoid subcutaneous blood and fluid accumulation.

3. Prevent edema and dysfunction of the operated limb

Avoid venous puncture on the limb on the surgical side and elevate it appropriately. Three days after surgery, we began to help the patient move his upper limbs, starting from the elbows and gradually expanding to the shoulders. The exercise methods include eating, combing hair, washing face and climbing walls with fingers to promote blood circulation in the limbs.