The second most advanced stage of the disease, stage 3 breast cancer, occurs when cancer cells have grown beyond the breast tissue into the lymph nodes or chest. Because the cancer is more advanced, stage 3 breast cancer has a poorer prognosis than earlier stages of the disease.

Statistics

Of women whose cancer is found when the tumor has reached stage 3, only 58 percent survive to the fifth anniversary of their diagnosis, reports the American Cancer Society.

Age

For all stages of breast cancer, five-year survival rates are highest among women who are ages 50 to 59 and lowest in women who are ages 80 to 99, reports Cancer Research UK. For women under 50, breast cancer tumors often grow more aggressively, leading to a poorer prognosis than in older women.

Race

For all stages of breast cancer, African American women are less likely to survive for five years after diagnosis than Caucasian women, according to the American Cancer Society. Although doctors do not understand why, African American women are more likely to develop aggressive forms of breast cancer than white women.

Health Care

Another factor that greatly influences the prognosis of stage 3 breast cancer is the quality of health care received, which is generally worse among people in less wealthy socioeconomic groups and those without health insurance, reports the American Cancer Society.

Considerations

The statistics for the five-year survival rates in patients with stage 3 carcinoma of the breast are just estimates based upon general trends. An oncologist is in the best position to give an individualized estimate of a person's prognosis after a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Source:

How is Breast Cancer Staged?

Breast Cancer Survival Statistics

Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2007-8