Early breast cancer is often treatable and curable. Your overall outlook depends on the cancer stage and type, as well as personal factors like your health and lifestyle.

Breast cancer develops when abnormal cells in breast tissue grow uncontrollably, forming clusters or tumors. These cancer cells can have the ability to spread to surrounding lymph nodes or travel to distant sites in the body, affecting how tissues and organs function.

In early stages, breast cancer is confined to the breast tissue and can be readily treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and other targeted treatments.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, it’s natural to have a lot of questions about what this diagnosis means for you.

Breast cancer’s growth and spread are defined using stages.

Early breast cancer typically refers to stages I and II, where cancer is invasive but still confined to the tissues of your breast and, for stage II, possibly in the nearby lymph nodes. The definition of “early” can vary, however, depending on the source or context.

Breast cancer stages take into account multiple aspects of cancer at the time of diagnosis, but can generally be broken down as:

  • Stage 0 (ductal carcinoma in situ): Abnormal pre-invasive cancer cells are present but confined to the milk ducts.
  • Stage I (early stage): Cancer has spread from the milk ducts or glands (lobules) to surrounding tissue but is less than 2 centimeters in size.
  • Stage II (early stage localized): The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters in size or is small, but cancer cells have spread to at least one lymph node.
  • Stage III (locally advanced): The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and may have spread to multiple lymph nodes, and cancer can be found in the skin or muscles adjacent to the breast.
  • Stage IV (metastatic): Cancer has spread to other, distant parts of the body like the liver, lungs, or bones.

Isn’t stage 0 breast cancer also “early?”

In terms of cancer development, stage 0 breast cancer is the earliest possible stage of cancer. But it isn’t always included under the category of “early stage breast cancers.” This is because stage 0 breast cancer is considered pre-invasive and at a low risk for immediate spread.

Breast cancer stages I and II reflect early stages of invasive breast cancer, where cancer has started to spread into surrounding tissue but is still localized.

That said, stages 0, I, and II are all technically early stages of breast cancer.

Breast cancer treatment is started as soon as possible to remove cancer before it has a chance to progress. However, it can still take a few weeks to get started. You may spend this time:

  • arranging appointments with oncology
  • getting lab results back
  • planning for surgery
  • considering how treatment may impact fertility (if desired)
  • getting a second opinion (if needed or wanted)

According to older data, optimal treatment times from the diagnosis of breast cancer are:

  • less than 90 days for surgery
  • within 8 weeksTrusted Source of surgery for radiation (unless chemotherapy is needed after surgery)
  • less than 120 days for chemotherapy
  • when chemotherapy is administered first, less than a year for radiation therapy

If you’ve had surgery for early stage breast cancer, a retrospective analysis from 2023 notes that starting chemotherapy or chemotherapy with radiation therapy within 12 weeks after surgery is associated with the best outcomes.

Remission is a period of time when the signs and symptoms of breast cancer have reduced or disappeared. Remission means breast cancer isn’t active (or as active), but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve been cured. Today, remission is often referred to as “no evidence of disease.”

Early stage breast cancer has excellent survival rates. According to a 2022 population-based study, the 10-year disease-specific survival rate for women with early breast cancer is around 95%.

While early breast cancer is highly treatable and has favorable outcomes for most people, several other factors can impact your overall outlook. These include:

  • Tumor size: Larger tumors may be more difficult to treat.
  • Number of lymph nodes involved: More lymph node involvement can increase the chance of recurrence.
  • Tumor’s grade: How abnormal tumor cells are can indicate how aggressively the cancer might spread.
  • Presence of hormone receptors: Hormone receptor-positive tumors are associated with slow growth and tend to respond well to hormone therapy.
  • HER2 protein status: HER2-negative cancers are generally less aggressive and more responsive to therapies.
  • Genetic mutations: The BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations increase your risk of developing breast cancer earlier and in more aggressive forms.
  • Your age: Younger women are often diagnosed with more aggressiveTrusted Source forms of breast cancer.
  • Menopausal status: High estrogen levels in menopause can influence breast cancer growth.
  • Your overall health: Having other health conditions can affect how well you respond to breast cancer treatments.
  • Your lifestyle: Unhealthy lifestyle habits can affect cancer’s growth, spread, and treatment response, so habits like diet, exercise, and alcohol consumption can play a role.

It’s important to work closely with your cancer care team to discuss your individual circumstances.

When caught early, breast cancer is highly treatable and associated with excellent outcomes.

If you’ve been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, treatment starts as soon as possible, but it may take several weeks to make arrangements. Working with your cancer care team can help you determine the best next steps for you.