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Dictionary of Cancer Terms
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stage IIIA breast cancer (... brest KAN-ser)

 Stage III breast cancer is divided into stages IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. In stage IIIA, (1) no tumor is found in the breast, but cancer is found in axillary (under the arm) lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone; or (2) the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller and cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures, or the cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone; or (3) the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone; or (4) the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that may be attached to each other or to other structures or the cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone.

Previous Definitions:stage III vaginal cancer, stage III vulvar cancer, stage III Wilms tumor, stage IIIA adult primary liver cancer, stage IIIA anal cancer
Next Definitions:stage IIIB adult primary liver cancer, stage IIIB anal cancer, stage IIIB breast cancer, stage IIIC adult primary liver cancer, stage IIIC breast cancer