Stage 4 Breast Cancer Survival Rate: What Patients Need to Know

What is stage 4 breast cancer?

Stage 4 breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, is the most advanced stage, where the cancer has spread from the breast and nearby lymph nodes to distant parts of the organ and body, most commonly the bones, liver, lungs, and brain. These conditions are not curable; some advanced treatments for this stage 4 cancer focus on managing the symptoms and signs of these cancers, improving the overall quality of life, and extending the survival and life expectancy of patients.

Key characteristics of metastatic breast cancer

• Metastasis: This is the spread of cancer from its primary site, the breast, into other organs and distant body parts, which often involves the lymph nodes in the process. 
• Advanced stage: This is the most advanced stage of breast cancer. 
• Common site of cancer spread: The most frequent sites of these cancers are bones, liver, lungs, and brain.

How advanced treatments are changing the treatment outlook

Metastatic Breast cancer survival rates will steadily improve due to some advanced cancer treatments. 

Here are some treatments options may include:

Targeted therapies

CDK 4/6 inhibitors: Some of the drugs, like ribociclib, palbociclib, and abemaciclib, are powerful treatment options for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer by slowing cancer growth. 

HER2- targeted therapies: These therapies are used for HER2- positive breast cancers, drugs that target the HER2 protein are essential for controlling the disease. 

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight against different types of cancer. It uses drugs like atezolizumab and pembrolizumab and is approved for several types of metastatic triple-negative breast cancers that are PD-L1 negative.

New chemotherapy combinations 

Synergistic effects: New combinations of chemotherapy treatments are used to improve efficacy and reduce side effects, offering new options where traditional treatments have limited benefits. 

Personalized medicines based on genetic profiling 

All of these advancements help cancer patients who are living with stage 4, which helps to improve the quality of life. The overall result of these advanced treatments is that many people with these cancers now live significantly longer, with the disease treated more like a chronic condition.

The increased effectiveness and precision of modern treatments often leads to few severe side effects and longer chemotherapy-free intervals, which greatly improves a patient’s overall quality of life.

Living with metastatic breast cancer

Patients with metastatic cancers are now living for many years by controlling their disease with certain treatments and lifestyle adjustments. Some patients might refer to this as a chronic health condition, but it's not curable but manageable with many treatments. 

Many studies suggest treatments and lifestyle adjustments that allow these patients to live for years. It helps to control the cancer and helps to maintain an improved quality of life, while the cancer itself cannot be removed completely.

Consult today

A stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can shake the world of any normal woman's life. A new stage 4 cancer diagnosis can bring different questions and confusion, but it's important to remember that the overall statistics available on the internet are not your personal treatment outcomes, as each person’s treatment journey is unique; each person’s treatment results mainly depend on many other factors, including their age, individual health conditions, etc. 

At Oncare, we offer premium-quality cancer treatments, including advanced cancer surgeries at affordable price ranges with an experienced cancer specialist consultation.

If you or any loved ones of yours are diagnosed with cancer, then visit Oncare Cancer Center and book an appointment with our experienced cancer specialist today. Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatments today!