Metastatic breast cancer (also called stage IV) is breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body, most commonly the liver, brain, bones, or lungs.
- No one dies from breast cancer that remains in the breast. Metastasis occurs when cancerous cells travel to a vital organ and that is what threatens life.
- Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, typically the bones, liver, lungs and brain.
- An estimated 155,000 Americans are currently living with metastatic breast cancer (also called Stage IV breast cancer). This disease accounts for approximately 40,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
- Treatment is lifelong and focuses on the control of the disease and quality of life.
- About 6% of people are Stage IV from their initial diagnosis.
- Early detection does not guarantee a cure. Metastatic breast cancer can occur 5, 10 or 15 years after a person’s original diagnosis and successful treatment checkups and annual mammograms.
- 20% to 30% of people initially diagnosed with early-stage disease will develop metastatic breast cancer.
- Young people, as well as men, can be diagnosed.
- Like early-stage breast cancer, there are different types of metastatic breast cancer.
- Treatment choices are guided by cancer type, location and extent of metastasis in the body, previous treatments and other factors.
- It is not an automatic death sentence. Although most people will ultimately die of their disease, some will live for many years.
- There are no definitive prognostic statistics for metastatic breast cancer. Every patient and their disease is unique.
