What is stage 0 breast cancer?
This is a form of Non invasive breast cancer. This is the earliest stage of breast cancer, also known as ‘pre-cancer’. When the cancer has not invaded in the breast tissue, or to lymph nodes, or to any other part of the body, it is identified as stage 0. It is a non-invasive form of cancer, but it has the potential to become invasive in the future as the disease progresses. The most common type of stage 0 cancer is DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) where the abnormal growth of cells begins in the milk ducts of the breast.
What are the most common forms of stage 0 breast cancer?
Stage 0 breast cancer commonly occurs in the following types (For more information, see the full article on types of breast cancer):
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This occurs when cancerous cells start developing in the breast ducts. Stage 0 DCIS diagnosis is more common today, thanks to the adoption of routine mammogram screenings. Early treatment is important for DCIS because it can grow and become invasive very quickly.
Paget’s disease of Nipple without underlying breast lump
Treatment for stage 0 breast cancer
(see the full article for early breast cancer treatment)
Stage 0 breast cancer is usually treated with surgery. Radiotherapy can be given in an adjuvant setting in selected cases. Chemotherapy is not generally applied to stage 0 cancer. Patients whose DCIS is caused by estrogen or progesterone imbalances may also receive hormone therapy after their surgery to lower their risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the future.
