If the cancer is larger than 5 cm or there is widespread involvement in the lymph nodes but it hasn't spread beyond the armpit, it is sometimes referred to as locally advanced. The physician also considers other location determinants. For example, if the breast cancer has metastasized only to the opposite breast, the outlook is not necessarily poorer than it would be in one breast. Also, tumors that develop toward the outside of the breast tend to be less serious than those that occur in the center of the breast. Tumor Size and Shape.
Large tumors pose a higher risk than small tumors.
Undifferentiated tumors, which have indistinct margins, are more dangerous than those with well-defined margins. Tumor Markers and Genetic Factors. Its presence indicates an aggressive cancer and a likelihood of recurrence after treatment. Studies are conflicting over whether the presence of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations affects survival. Some have suggested that they offer a survival advantage, while some current reports suggest that they make no difference or even worsen prognosis.