[Stages of breast cancer]

A comparative analysis of several systems of the assessment of the degree of spreading of malignant process is presented in the article. Stage principles of malignant neoplasms, which are used by the National Cancer Register do not respond current requirements as these principles do not single out preinvasive carcinoma and even more patients with I and II stages malignant neoplasms are brought into one group. Last reduction of the International TNM breast cancer classification (2002, TNM-6) reflects further progress in understanding biology of this localization and possibilities of the diagnostics. This classification differs considerably from previous reductions (TNM-4 and TNM-5) and especially Soviet classification dated 1985. The study carried out by the authors showed importance of differential approach to the assessment of regional lymphatic nodes lesion on depending their quantity (in diapason from 1 to 3; 4-9; 10 and more). The authors stated in the article that there is a certain discrepancy of some clinical and pathohistological parameters (N not equal to pN) in the last reduction of TNM classification of breast cancer and interpretation of some categories of the system is over-complex.