The degree of Ki67 labeling in a cancer cell correlates to how quickly the tumor is growing and how aggressive it is. When a cancer returns after previously having been eliminated. There is less risk that early stage breast cancer will come back (recur) so it has a more favourable prognosis. Breast cancer is cancer of the breast tissue, and is the second-most common type of cancer in women, and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Only a doctor familiar with your medical history, the type, stage and characteristics of your cancer, the treatments chosen and the response to treatment can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis. The pathologic stage is determined by the findings at the time of surgery and is different from the "clinical stage," which is the stage estimated based upon the findings on clinical exam and radiology. This refers to something that is entirely located within a duct and does not grow beyond the borders of the duct wall. They both play a part in deciding on a treatment plan and a prognosis. This means that HER2-positive breast cancer has a less favourable prognosis than HER2-negative breast cancer. The size of the tumour is the 2nd most important prognostic factor for breast cancer. The skin often looks swollen, thickened, dimpled, and red. A measure of how much a cancer has grown and/or spread in the body (i.e., how advanced a cancer is). There are many treatments for invasive breast cancer. Your Guide to the Breast Cancer Pathology Report is an on-the-go reference booklet you can fill out with your doctor or nurse to keep track of the results of your pathology report. The measure ranges from 0% (no cells dividing) to 100% (all cells dividing). Examples include estrogen, progesterone, and androgen. A protein called a tyrosine kinase that is expressed on the surface of all cells and helps signal for the cells to grow. Cancers that express the estrogen receptor are termed “hormone receptor positive” cancers. A pattern of growth where the cancer cells grow into (invade) the surrounding tissues (see also invasive). A device used by pathologists to examine tissue on slides; the microscope magnifies the tissue so that pathologist can examine the individual cells and make a diagnosis. HER2-positive breast cancer means that the cancer cells make too many copies of, or overexpress, the HER2 gene. Cancers can grow in place in their tissue of origin or spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. This gene triggers the growth of cancer cells. The surgical removal of breast tissue to prevent cancer from developing. The presence of carcinoma in situ cells within skin (epidermis) of the nipple The sentinel lymph node is most commonly located in the axilla (underarm) and is typically the first lymph node that will be involved by cancer when the cancer starts to metastasize. Breast tumours that are 5 cm or larger are more likely to come back after treatment than smaller tumours. Breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes has a higher risk of coming back and a less favourable prognosis than breast cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes. Even having a mastectomy to prevent breast cancer is not 100% effective, since cancers can arise in small areas of breast tissue that remain after surgery. Order a free booklet by mail or download the PDF of the booklet to print it at home. A type of laboratory test that can detect the proteins expressed by a cell. A systemic medication used to treat cancer that kills cells that are dividing. It is also unclear which combination of genetic and environmental factors is the precise cause of a breast cancer, so it is impossible to take measures that will completely prevent breast cancer. Summary cancer staging is the most basic way to stage any type of cancer, including breast cancer.