My cousin has cancer and the doctor said shes in phase 5. What does that mean?

Question

She is up and walking around shes not in a death bed or anything, she was just in a wedding saturday. So I dont understand

Im sorry I meant stage 5

Answer 1

cancer is rated in stages i have cancer ive not heard of a phase.Stage 0
This stage is used to describe non-invasive breast cancer. There is no evidence of cancer cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which it started, or of getting through to or invading neighboring normal tissue. LCIS and DCIS are examples of stage 0.

Stage I
This stage describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which

The tumor measures up to two centimeters, AND


No lymph nodes are involved.


Stage II
This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which:

The tumor measures at least two centimeters, but not more than five centimeters, OR


Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm on the same side as the breast cancer. Affected lymph nodes have not yet stuck to one another or to the surrounding tissues, a sign that the cancer has not yet advanced to stage III. (The tumor in the breast can be any size.)


Stage III
Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA and IIIB.

Stage IIIA
Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which:

the tumor measures larger than five centimeters, OR


there is significant involvement of lymph nodes. The nodes clump together or stick to one another or surrounding tissue.


Stage IIIB
This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which a tumor of any size has spread to the breast skin, chest wall, or internal mammary lymph nodes (located beneath the breast right under the ribs, inside the middle of the chest).

Stage IIIB includes inflammatory breast cancer, a very uncommon but very serious, aggressive type of breast cancer. The most distinguishing feature of inflammatory breast cancer is redness involving part or all of the breast. The redness feels warm. You may see puffiness of the breast's skin that looks like the peel of a navel orange ("peau d'orange"), or even ridges, welts, or hives. And part or all of the breast may be enlarged and hard. A lump is present only half of the time. Inflammatory breast cancer is sometimes misdiagnosed as a simple infection.Stage IV
This stage includes invasive breast cancer in which

a tumor has spread beyond the breast, underarm, and internal mammary lymph nodes, and


a tumor may have spread to the supraclavicular lymph nodes (nodes located at the base of the neck, above the collarbone), 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.

Additional staging information:
You may also hear terms such as "early" or "earlier" stage, "later" or "advanced" stage breast cancer. Although these terms are not medically precise (they may be used differently by different doctors), here is a general idea of how they apply to the official staging system:

Early stage:
Stage 0
Stage I
Stage II
Later stage:
(stage II if there are many lymph nodes involved)
Stage III (IIIA, IIIB)
Advanced stage:
Stage IV
You may also hear the cancer described by three characteristics:

size (T stands for tumor),


node involvement (N stands for node), and


whether it has metastasized (M stands for metastasis).


The T category describes the original (primary) tumor:

TX means the tumor can't be measured or found.


T0 means there isn't any evidence of the primary tumor.


Tis means the cancer is "in situ" (the tumor has not started growing into the breast tissue).


The numbers T1-T4 describe the size and/or how much the cancer has grown into the breast tissue. The higher the T number, the larger the tumor and/or the more it may have grown into the breast tissue.


The N category describes whether or not the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes:

NX means the nearby lymph nodes can't be measured or found.


N0 means nearby lymph nodes do not contain cancer.


The numbers N1-N3 describe the size, location, and/or the number of lymph nodes involved. The higher the N number, the more the lymph nodes are involved.


The M category tells whether there are distant metastases (whether the cancer has spread to other parts of body):

MX means metastasis can't be measured or found.


M0 means there are no distant metastases.


M1 means that distant metastases were found.


Once the pathologist knows your T, N, and M characteristics, they are combined, and an overall "stage" of 0, I, II, III, IIIA, IIIB, or IV is assigned.

For example, a T1, N0, M0 breast cancer would mean that the primary breast tumor:

is less than two centimeters across (T1),


does not have lymph node involvement (N0), and


has not spread to distant parts of the body (M0).


This cancer would be grouped as a stage I cancer.

Answer 2

Hi,

1) what kind of cancer is it?

2) get the "actual stageing" (stage 5 is not one I have heard before). They are ususally I to IV and my and "a or b" - like stage IIb small cell lung cancer or stage 1 LLC

3) go to www.cancer.org and look up the cancer and the stage and see what it says.

Jewells
29 months and still here

Answer 3

Depends on what kind of cancer she has. Some late stage cancers can be treated successfully. Others it is a negative prognosis. Clinton's mother went to a concert a week or two before she died of her cancer. I hope she continues to feel well.

Answer 4

I've never heard of stage 5. I have heard of stage 4-B. Could be she has cancer with distant metastasis and or other organs affected. Go to cancer.org and find out more.

Answer 5

My dad has lung cancer and he said the phases are the progression of the cancer. It all depends on what type of cancer your cousin has and how many phases are with it. Honestly it sounds like her cancer has progressed really far. Go to ask.com and type the information in it should tell you. (armygirl2675@yahoo)

Answer 6

Laugh if you want My son was stage 4Tumor had destroyed 1 lung 6 ribs the gave him 6 months.
the med he was on if you droped it on your hand would eat through the skin yet the pumped it into his body.He was 8 years oldat the time .The power of prayer does work miracles .


ps hes 25 now

Answer 7

I don't think there is a phase five, it only goes up to phase four, and it's the worst cancer can get. Some people get better, most don't.

Answer 8

That means she's dead. That is the most advanced stage. She needs to make peace with God & He will help her through the transition to the better place!

Answer 9

pain, agony and death as phase 5 is the last phase. i feel sorry for him.

Answer 10

Haven heard of it. Ask her.