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Is Stage 2 Breast Cancer Curable?

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Jay R. Anam

Successful treatment of breast cancer depends upon the stage it gets diagnosed.

If breast cancer is diagnosed in the early stages, there are high chances to cure it.

But, how can we identify it in its early stages?

Read further, we have also mentioned symptoms of stage 2 breast cancer

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Topics covered in this Article:

What is stage 2 Breast Cancer?
Symptoms of stage 2 breast cancer
Diagnosis & Treatment for stage 2 breast cancer
Survival Rate of stage 2 breast cancer

What is Stage 2 Breast Cancer?

In stage 2 breast cancer, the tumour is less than 5 cm and has limited spread to lymph nodes or tumours more than 5 cm without spread to nodes.

The doctors identify it by seeing whether cancer has spread its way to the lymph node or not and by the size of the tumour.

In this stage, the tumour has grown to the size of 2-5cm. It has grown so much that even you can detect the tumour through a breast self-exam.

Symptoms of Stage 2 Breast Cancer

There are no particular symptoms of stage 2 breast cancer. Although, the lump in this stage is around 2-5 cm, which can be felt during a self-examination.

The other later symptoms might include a change in the shape and size of the breast, inverted or retracted nipples, bloody discharge, etc.

Also Read : Healthy Tips to Prevent Breast Cancer

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Diagnosis and Treatment for Stage 2 Breast Cancer

The method of diagnosing breast cancer includes different diagnostic processes like mammography, physical exams and core needle biopsies of the breast lump and the enlarged lymph nodes.

After going through the different processes, the doctor tailors the optimal treatment plan.

These treatment options might include:

Surgery :

Surgery is the mainstay for the tumour of any solid organ. Surgery can be in the form of breast conservation with wide excision of the breast lump or a mastectomy.

The type of surgery depends on the breast tumour size, receptor status and patient compliance.

In some selected stage 2 diseases like one’s with enlarged axillary nodes or triple-negative receptor status, surgery may be planned after giving chemotherapy to the patient.

Oncoplasty :

Surgery for breast cancer is incomplete without offering oncoplasty to the patient.

Oncoplasty is a cosmetic surgery that integrates plastic surgery principles for breast reshaping and reconstruction immediately after excising the breast tumour.

Options from partial breast reconstruction to whole breast reconstruction following mastectomy are available.

Chemotherapy :

This therapy is given before or after surgery to prevent recurrence and to deal with cells migrated to various organs not detected by routine investigation.

If given before surgery it even reduces the size of the breast tumour and thus even facilitates breast conservation in some cases where mastectomy was planned.

Radiation Therapy :

The doctors recommend this therapy after you have gone through surgery.

Radiation therapy helps in reducing the risk of local recurrence. In stage 2 it is indicated if the tumour size is more than 5 cm or if the tumour has spread to the axillary nodes.

Radiation therapy is mandatory in all cases of breast conservation surgery, immaterial of the size of the tumour or nodal status.

Hormone therapy :

The doctors give hormone therapy with tamoxifen or letrozole etc in the form of an oral tablet for the next five to seven years after surgery if the cancer is hormone receptor-positive.

Also,

A must-read for all women, Does Underarm Lump Lead to Breast Cancer?

Can Stage 2 Cancer come back?

Local recurrence depends on the type of surgery and the biology of the tumour cells.

It is estimated that when the axillary lymph node involved in the disease is not cancerous, the recurrence rate is 6% in five years.

At the same time, it is 23% when the axillary lymph nodes involved are cancerous without the use of radiation.

Stage 2 Breast Cancer Survival Rate

According to the American Cancer Society findings, the 5-year survival rate is 99% if cancer has not spread outside the breast tissue.

But, it is 86% if cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.

However, now with the addition of targeted therapy in the treatment of breast cancer, the survival rate has also increased significantly.

Conclusion

Stage 2 cancer is a bit more serious than stage 1 cancer, but with early treatment, patients can be completely cured of the disease.

The recurrence rate is also low if treated immediately. However, cancer is a highly progressive disease that spreads at an increased rate.

Thus, it is essential to take measurements as soon as possible. So, make sure to follow all the instructions provided by the doctors and change to a healthy lifestyle. This includes daily exercise, avoiding junk food and alcohol and maintaining an optimal weight.

If you detect any changes in your breast, consult a Breast Cancer Specialist immediately. Also, you can book an appointment with our experts to understand more about breast cancer.

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About Author

Dr. Jay Rashmi Anam

Surgical Oncologists

15+

Year Of Experience

Dr. Jay Anam is one of the best surgical oncologists & breast cancer specialist in Mumbai.

Dr. Jay Anam has Completed his M.Ch. Surgical Oncology training from Tata Memorial Centre. He did his Fellowship in Breast Oncology from Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France.

As a breast cancer specialist, he believes in world-class cancer care for all patients.

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