Melanin & Pink Ribbons

Stage 3 breast cancer means the cancer has spread beyond the breast to nearby lymph nodes or tissue, but not to other parts of the body like the lungs or liver. It’s considered advanced, but still treatable.

Here’s the simple facts:

• The tumor may be large (bigger than 5 cm — about 2 inches), or
• It may have spread to several lymph nodes, especially under your arm or near your collarbone, or
• It may have grown into the skin or chest wall (like the muscles behind the breast).

The cancer is still in the area around the breast, but it’s not on the move to distant organs.

Treatment options include:

• Chemotherapy
• Surgery (like lumpectomy or mastectomy)
• Radiation
• Hormone or targeted therapy, depending on the cancer type

The important thing is to communicate with your medical team and have a positive outlook. We all fight breast cancer, it’s just some of us fight a meaner, more virulent version of the disease. You can fit and you can live!