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Grade of cancer
by Mary0327, May 29, 2008 10:01PM
I was diagnosed in March with recurrent invasive lobular carcinoma in the right axillary area. Eleven years ago I was treated for invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast, with a modified radical mastectomy followed by 6 months of CMF. I had the latest tumor removed on May 2. Ten nodes were tested, including the sentenel node, and all were negative. The tumor was 1.5 cm. The tumor infiltrated into skeletal muscle, but there was no lymphvascular or perineural invasion. The tumor was histologic grade 3, nuclear grade 2 and mitotic grade 1, for an overall grade of 2. I've been assuming that my cancer is grade 2, because of the tumor size and negative lymph nodes, but further research is indicating that it is grade 3, since it is a recurrence. Is that correct? Also, is it a local recurrence or a regional recurrence?
Thank you so much for your help.
Mary
Thank you so much for your help.
Mary
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Tumor grade is an inherent characteristic of the tumor (graded 1-3), while stage refers to the extent of the cancer. I think you maybe mixing up the two. Histologic grade 3 means that the tumor has a high rate of mitosis, or that the cells are dividing faster (hence may grow much faster). Stage refers to the extent of the cancer. If there are involved lymph nodes, then the cancer is up-staged, to at least stage II to stage III. Some would categorize recurrent cancers as stage IV, whether local or regional. Regional recurrence would involve the lymph nodes while local would just involve the breast and immediate nearby structures. I suggest that you discuss this more, as well as the treatment options with your oncologist.
Regards and God bless.