| It is important to first note that breast
cancer survival rates are going up all the time, due to detection
of cancers in earlier stages and through the large body of
improved and newer treatment procedures. The most acknowledged
key to breast cancer survival is early detection of the disease.
After the diagnosis of cancer, however, there are also several
items which can indicate a patient’s survival potential
or prognosis.
Along with a small size tumor, if the patient
does not have involvement of her lymph nodes, this is the
best indicator of survival. If the estrogen and progesterone
receptor tests done on the removed cancer cells indicate hormone
therapy (usually with Tamoxifen) may stop the growth of the
tumor, this is also a good indicator. If the microscopic appearance
of the cancer cells have clear differentiation, rather than
poor differentiation, the histologic grade would be smaller
and would better survival chances. If a protein called epidermal
growth factor receptor is present in the tumor, however, this
is not good for the patient’s outcome. There is a test
called the DNA flow cytometry which rates the amount of normal
DNA and also the percentage of cells that are dividing: the
higher the amount of normal DNA and the lower the amount of
cell division indicates a better prognosis for breast cancer
survival.
Usually the stage of a person’s tumor
indicates the breast cancer survival rate. According to the
American Cancer Society, the following list of percentages
indicates the 5-year rate of survival for breast cancer patients:
- Stage 0: 100%
- Stage I: 96%
- Stage IIA: 88%
- Stage IIB: 76%
- Stage IIIA: 56%
- Stage IIIB: 49%
- Stage IV: 16%
These are only statistics. Because survival
rates are rising and because every patient’s characteristics
are different, these statistics do not indicate exact results
but only form a basis for discussion of breast cancer survival.
To become more proactive as a breast cancer
survivor, it is recommended that each patient make changes
in diet and lifestyle, reducing the breast cancer risks that
can be limited. In addition, the woman needs total understanding
of the physician’s instructions for follow-up treatment
and faithful observance of those instructions, so her chances
of breast cancer survival will increase. |
