Different types of breast cancer grow at different rates and many factors affect its growth and chances of spreading. Hence how the cancer will progress and spread in an individual or change course over a period of time is not easy to estimate.

How fast can breast cancer spread ?

Cancer is due to mutations in human cells. Mutations are alterations in the genes. Since cells with such genes do not follow normal, predictable patterns of cell division, it is difficult to predict the progression.

When damaged cells like the above divide and form new cells abnormal cells are formed which over a period of time form a tumour mass

In case of the breast a tumour mass is first formed

Breast cancer cells can break off and move through the lymph or blood vessels to other areas of the body.

If breast cancer cells begin to grow in another body part, this is called metastasis. Breast cancer is most likely to metastasize to the lymph nodes, lungs, and bones.It is hard to predict how the cancer will grow and spread and in what time frame as the disease affects each person differently

Type of breast cancer

Non invasive breast cancer will not spread beyond the ducts or lobules.

Invasive breast cancer can spread to the surrounding connective tissue, the lymph nodes, and other areas of the body.

Cancer Grading

Breast cancer grading(1–3) is based on how much the cancer cells look like normal breast cells:

grade 1 is a slower-growing cancer as the cells look more like normal cells

grade 3 is a faster-growing cancer as cells look lesser like normal cells

A higher grade means that a cancer is more likely to grow faster and to spread to other areas of the breast or body.

Cancer Staging

Staging is used to describe the extent of breast cancer progression. This information is important when making decisions regarding treatment.

The stages of breast cancer are as follows :

• Stage 0.

Non-invasive breast cancer only present in the ducts or the lobules. Ductal carcinoma in situ is a form of stage 0 breast cancer.

• Stage 1.

Invasive breast cancer but it remains small and near the primary site.

1.A -involves tumours that are 2 centimetres or smaller and have not reached the lymph nodes.
1.B -Invasive breast cancer tumors may be larger, and cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, possibly to several. Breast cancer at this stage has not spread to other organs.
• Stage 3.

cancer has reached the lymph nodes.

• Stage.4

Breast cancer has developed in other areas of the body outside the breast and lymph nodes, often in the bones, lungs, brain, or liver.

Treatment at this stage focuses on controlling the cancer and preventing it from spreading any further.

Cancer that has already spread to other areas of the body, or stage 4 cancer, is more likely to spread further.

Although it is difficult to assess the progress of cancer over the course of 1 year, the American Cancer Society provide estimates about the 5-year survival rates for people at different stages of breast cancer.

The 5-year survival rate refers to the number of people who will live for 5 years after finding out that they have breast cancer:

• close to 100 percent for stages 0 and 1
• 93 percent for stage 2
• 72 percent for stage 3
• 22 percent for stage 4

These figures are population estimates. Individual survival rate vary depending on a wide range of factors.

Personal factors

• age at diagnosis
• hormone status, such as pre- or postmenopause
• family history of breast cancer
• exposure to alcohol, cigarettes, or pollution
• previous history of cancer

Response to treatment

How a person responds to previous or current treatment can be taken into account when working out the likely change or progression of cancer

Survival rates depend on

• Early detection
• Stage of disease
• Diagnostic and Treatment facilities