Much has been done to promote breast cancer awareness in recent years, because early detection can mean a woman’s life is saved. Breast cancer ranks number two as the leading cause of death; lung cancer ranks as number one. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the next most common type of carcinoma. Less than 1 percent of the male population gets breast cancer. Most men who do get breast cancer are about 60 years of age or older. As men get older, they should also do breast self-exams, because they, just like women, have some breast tissue. Breast cancer awareness is for both women and men.

There are many ways to bring breast cancer awareness to the forefront of everybody’s mind. You can purchase T-shirts, and other wearing apparel with the breast cancer emblem on them. You can buy tote bags and different kinds of breast cancer awareness paraphernalia. You can become a volunteer or a sponsor for the cause. People who have breast cancer need a good breast cancer support system in place. Breast cancer support groups are very important to the person with breast cancer and their families.

Breast cancer statistics show that a 5 year cancer survival rate is dependent upon the breast cancer stages, or in other words, the advancement of the disease. Part of breast cancer awareness should be that people understand the different stages of breast cancer. The breast cancer stages are 0, I, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IIIIC, IV.

Stage 0 represents no cancer cells present in the breast. The survival rate for stage 0 is 100 percent for 5 years.

Stage 1 represents active cancer cells invading breast tissue, but the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes. The survival rate for 5 years is 100 percent.

Stage IIA represents three possibilities. There could be no tumor in the breast, but cancer cells are present in the lymph nodes under the arm. Another possibility is that there is a tumor in the breast that is at least 2 centimeters, and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. The third possibility is there is a tumor in the breast that measures from 2 centimeters to not more than 5 centimeters. With this last possibility, there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes under the arm. Breast cancer survival rate for someone with Stage IIA is 92 percent for 5 years.

Stage IIB represents two possibilities. There could be a tumor in the breast that is larger than 2 centimeters, but is not any larger than 5 centimeters. The second possibility is that there is a tumor in the breast larger than 5 centimeters, but there are no cancer cells in the lymph nodes under the arm. The survival rate for 5 years at this stage is 81 percent.

Stage IIIA represents three possibilities. One possibility is that there is no tumor in the breast, but the cancer can be clumping lymph nodes together in the lymph nodes under the arm or to the breast bone or other structures. The second possibility is that there is a tumor in the breast that is up to 5 centimeters in size and there is cancer sticking to lymph nodes under the arm or other structures. The third possibility is that there is a tumor in the breast larger than 5 centimeters and the cancer has spread and sticking to the lymph nodes or other structures. Breast cancer survival rate is 67 percent for 5 years.

Stage IIIB represents inflammatory breast cancer. There could be a tumor in the breast could be of any size and spread to the chest wall, and possibly even to the skin of the breast. There may also be cancer sticking to the lymph nodes under the arm or to other structures. At this stage the survival rate for 5 years decreases to 54 percent.

Stage IIIC represents cancer that has spread to the chest wall. The cancer may be found in the lymph nodes under the arm, and in the area of the collarbone. The survival rate is 36 percent for 5 years.

Stage IV represents cancer that has metastasized to the bone, lungs, liver or brain. The survival rate is only 20 percent at this stage.

It is important that people understand the breast cancer stages, and that your chances of breast cancer survival are relatively good in the earlier stages. Breast cancer is very treatable in the earlier stages.