Overview
Stage 1 Breast Cancer is an early form of breast cancer. Understanding your Stage 1 Breast Cancer diagnosis will help you make an informed treatment decision.
Tap “Watch Now” below for an easy-to-understand overview and then compare your treatment options side-by-side so you can help your doctors find the best option for you.
- Stage 1A Breast Cancer
- Stage 1B Breast Cancer
- Understanding HR+, HER2, TNBC
Overview
Listen Now
When diagnosed with Stage 1A Breast Cancer, the tumor is found only in your breast and is 2 centimeters or smaller, about the size of a peanut. The cancer has not spread to your lymph nodes, shown here in green, or to any other organs in your body.
What Tests Will I Need and Why?
Blood and Imaging tests are done to understand your general health, confirm your diagnosis and determine your cancer stage.
Tissue analysis is also typically done to identify your cancer sub-type, which is critical to finding the best treatment option for you. The most common Breast Cancer sub-types are Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2 Positive and Triple Negative (TNBC).
You may also require Saliva or Blood Analysis to look for specific mutations (actual changes in your body’s DNA), called BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Re-read this summary as needed and then tap, “Compare My Treatment Options Now” to help you understand your FDA-approved treatment options including, who can help you pay for your treatment and what side-effects you may experience.
Cancer Research U.K. CC BY-SA 4
Overview
Listen Now
A Stage 1B Breast Cancer diagnosis is when your tumor is smaller than 2 centimeters and may have formed small clusters of cancer cells in your lymph nodes.
What Tests Will I Need and Why?
Blood and Imaging tests are done to understand your general health, confirm your diagnosis and determine your cancer stage.
Tissue analysis is also typically done to identify your cancer sub-type, which is critical to finding the best treatment option for you. The most common Breast Cancer sub-types are Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2 Positive and Triple Negative (TNBC).
You may also require special Saliva or Blood Analysis to look for specific mutations (actual changes in your body’s DNA), called BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Re-read this summary as needed and then tap, “Compare My Treatment Options Now” to help you understand your FDA-approved treatment options including, who can help you pay for your treatment and what side-effects you may experience.
Cancer Research U.K. CC BY-SA 4
Your Status is critical to identifying the best treatment option for you
In addition to the size and cancer stage, your treatment options are guided by your Hormone Receptor status (+ or -) and HER2 status. Status is identified by analyzing cancer cells taken from the tumor in your breast, a procedure called a Biopsy.
HR-positive (HR+)
An HR+ diagnosis means that hormones are fueling the tumor. To understand your specific sub-type, your doctors will look for Estrogen Receptors (ER) and Progesterone Receptors (PR), your tumor can have one, both or neither.
About 70% of breast cancers are HR+.
If you test positive for HR, it means that your treatment should include medications that block hormone production.
HER2-positive (HER2+)
HER2 is a protein that is found in normal cells, it gives cells a signal to grow and produce more cells. A HER2 positive (+++) breast cancer diagnosis means that the tumor cells have too many HER2 proteins, causing uncontrolled tumor cell division, tumor growth and spreading.
About 15% of all breast cancer tumors are HER2 positive (+++). Some patients with HR+ can also have HER2 positive (+++).
If you test HER2+, it means that your treatment should include medications that block the HER2 protein to stop tumor cell growth.
Triple-Negative (TNBC)
A TNBC diagnosis means that analysis of your cancer cells has shown that negative results for 3 key breast cancer “fuels”:
- Estrogen Receptors (ER)
- Progesterone Receptors (PR)
- Too much HER2 Protein
TNBC is a type of fast-growing breast cancer that occurs in about 10% of all breast cancers.
If you are diagnosed with TNBC+, it means that your treatment should include chemotherapy in most cases, and for some women Immunotherapy.
Replay this Audio as often as needed and then take a look at our Commonly Searched Questions below.
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Answers To The Most Searched Questions
What is Stage 1 breast cancer?
Stage 1 describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading normal surrounding breast tissue). It is divided into subcategories known as IA and IB. Stage 1 breast cancer means that your tumor is 2cm or less, in some cases lymph nodes may have small clusters of tumor cells (smaller than 2mm).
Source: Cancer.org
Stage 1 breast cancer survival rate
According to SEER data, Stage 1 Breast Cancer has a survival rate of 99.1%. For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of breast cancer is 99.1%, it means that women who have that cancer are, on average, about 99.1% as likely as women who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Source: Cancer.gov
Stage 1 breast cancer treatment
It involves surgery and some patients may need chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy. Now click here to Compare Your Latest Treatment Options.
Source: Cancer.org
Stage 1 breast cancer symptoms
These are some of the symptoms of Stage 1 Breast Cancer:
- a breast lump or tissue thickening that feels different from surrounding tissue and is new
- breast pain
- red or discolored, pitted skin on the breast
- swelling in all or part of your breast
- a nipple discharge other than breast milk
- bloody discharge from your nipple
- inverted nipple
Source: Healthline.com
Stage 1 breast cancer lymph nodes
In Stage 1 breast cancer, lymph nodes may have small clusters of tumor cells (smaller than 2mm).
Source: Cancer.org
Stage 1 breast cancer tumor size
Stage 1 breast cancer has 2 groups. Stage 1A means that the cancer is 2 centimeters (cm) or smaller and has not spread outside the breast while Stage 1B means that small areas of breast cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes close to the breast and that:
- no tumour is found in the breast or
- the breast tumour is 2cm or smaller
Source: Cancerresearchuk.org
