Stage I means that cancer cells have not spread beyond the breast and the tumor is no more than about an inch across. Stage III is also called locally advanced cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of locally advanced breast cancer. Stage IV is metastic cancer. The cancer has spread from the breast to other organs of the body.
Recurrent cancer means the disease has come back in spite of the initial treatment.
With the newer techniques that are available a large percentage of the cancer is detected when the tumors are 2 centimeters or smaller. Fine Needle Aspiration - procedure, which uses a fine needle to remove a sample of cells from the breast mass. FNA is made under general anesthesia and often leaves the breast disfigured. Cysts are rarely associated with cancer and are only tested if they are bloody. If the lump is solid, then fine needles is also used to gather a cluster of cells, which can then be sent to a laboratory for further testing.