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Stage IIIb and IV
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Roxanne View Drop Down
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Joined: May 11 2009
Location: Florida
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    Posted: May 23 2009 at 3:43pm
I was wondering if there is a big difference between stage IIIb and stage 4 in mets. I have seen the used interchangeably on a few posts on the forums. Also, Is there any difference in treatments?

Blessings, Roxanne
www.roxannesjourney.blogspot.com
DX 1/09 Metast. Adenocarcinoma
Stage IIIb Grade 3 TNBC
BRCA 1/2 Neg.
Lumpectomy & Ax. Node Dissect.
4 Tx A/C finished 5/09
12 Tx Taxol finished 8/09
35 rads finished 9/09
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cg--- View Drop Down
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Points: 1379 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cg--- Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2009 at 5:11pm

Stage IIIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:

  • the tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast AND
  • may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
  • Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least IIIB

Stage IV

Stage IV describes invasive breast cancer in which:

  • the cancer has spread to other organs of the body -- usually the lungs, liver, bone, or brain

"Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV.

 
Roxanne, above is described the difference between the two....and in our TNBC - every stage is treated aggressively!
 
Connie
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