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Grade vs. Stage: Breast Cancer
October 26, 2009 |
There’s the grade. And then there’s the stage. Two measurements of breast cancer
that often get intertwined.
“People see this grade on their pathology report and think that it equates to the
stage,” says Dr. Lea Blackwell. She’s the only female breast surgeon in Lee County
and adds the “grade” simply measures the breast tissue.
“Typically, when somebody finds out they have breast cancer, they receive a pathology
report. The pathologist will remark on how the tissue looks underneath a microscope
slide and will give it a grade. Grade 1: more like breast tissue; Grade 3: less
like breast tissue and more like cancer.” The stage measures the disease and how
far it’s progressed. The stages are ranked from 1 to 4. “The stage of breast cancer
is determined by three factors: the size of the tumor, whether or not the lymph
nodes are involved and whether or not there is disease in other parts of their body
besides the breast or under their arm in the lymph nodes,” explains Dr. Blackwell.
Taken together, physicians like Dr. Blackwell, look at the stage and the grade to
try and predict how the cancer could progress. The measurements also determine which
form of treatment is best for the patient. |
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