Cancer Diagnosis What Is Stage 4 Cancer? Metastatic Cancer By Jennifer Welsh Jennifer Welsh Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Jennifer Welsh is a Connecticut-based science writer and editor with over ten years of experience under her belt. She’s previously worked and written for WIRED Science, The Scientist, Discover Magazine, LiveScience, and Business Insider. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 05, 2022 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Symptoms Cause Diagnosis Staging Treatment Palliative Care Prognosis Frequently Asked Questions Stage 4 cancer is the most advanced stage of cancer. It is diagnosed when cancer cells spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body away from the original tumor site. As such, stage 4 cancer is also called metastatic cancer. Although some people with stage 4 cancer can live for years, the prognosis often isn't good. Therefore, the goal of treatment is not to cure the cancer but to slow or stop its growth, relieve symptoms, and extend survival time. This overview of stage 4 cancer explains what it is and how it is diagnosed. It will help you to learn more about treatment and possible stage 4 cancer outcomes. Stage 4 Cancer Symptoms The symptoms of metastatic cancer depend on the type of cancer. In some cases, there are no symptoms at all. Most of the time, a cancer that reaches stage 4 will affect not only the part of the body where it originated, but the areas it has spread to as well. Common Symptoms of Metastatic Cancer When cancer spreads to: It may cause: Lungs •Shortness of breath (dyspnea) •Cough •Coughing up blood •Chest pain Liver •Pain •Weight loss •Yellowing of skin (jaundice) •Abdominal swelling and fluid (ascites) Bones •Pain, especially severe back pain plus numbness in a leg or loss of bowel or bladder control•Fractures, especially without injury Brain •Headaches•Dizziness•Nausea•Problems with speech or vision•Trouble walking•Confusion•Seizures Stage 4 cancer also can cause more general symptoms, such as extreme fatigue and lack of energy. Some people become so tired and weak they have trouble doing everyday things. They may even need help with getting dressed or other routine tasks. Hearing your doctor call a liver tumor "breast cancer" may sound strange. But stage 4 cancer is diagnosed based on where the original cancer is located, not where it has spread. So, breast cancer that has spread to the liver will be called stage 4 breast cancer with liver metastasis—not stage 4 liver cancer. Cause Cancer diagnosed as stage 4 will have spread to an organ or a part of the body away from the original tumor. For this to happen: Cancer cells break away from the tumor. They find their way into the bloodstream or, less often, the lymphatic system—a network that helps transport white blood cells and clear harmful substances from your system.Cells are carried in the blood or lymph fluid to another part of the body. They attach to the tissue there.Once they're attached, the cells grow while simultaneously fighting off the immune system. The cancer's spread will often begin in the same region where the original cells were found. For example, breast cancer may spread to lymph nodes under the arm. Common sites of cancer metastasis include: Lung cancer: Adrenal glands, bones, brain, liver, and the other lung Breast cancer: Bones, brain, liver, and lungs Prostate cancer: Adrenal glands, bone, liver, and lungs Colorectal cancer: Liver, lungs, and peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) Melanoma: Bones, brain, liver, lung, skin, and muscle Recap Stage 4 cancer, the most advanced stage of cancer, is diagnosed when cancer metastasizes (spreads) to a distant part of the body. It occurs when cancer cells break away from the orginal tumor and travel throughout the body via the bloodstream or lymph system. The lungs are a common site of metastasis since blood always filters through the lungs. Diagnosis Oncologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating cancer. Many of the same tests and procedures used to diagnose earlier stage cancers can be used to diagnose stage 4 cancer. Biopsy A small amount of tissue from the suspected area of spread is removed. This could be something like breast tissue or skin, or even bone marrow. It is examined under a microscope for signs of abnormal cells. What Cancer Looks Like Under a Microscope Imaging Tests Images make it possible to look inside the body in order to see a tumor. They help identify where and how large it is, and how it affects other organs and blood flow. Tests used to diagnose cancer include: X-rays Computerized tomography (CT) scan Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Ultrasound Positron emission tomography (PET) scan Lab Tests Many tests used to analyze blood, other body fluids, and biopsied tissues can be done to diagnose cancer. Endoscopy Endoscopy is a procedure in which a tube or wire with a small camera attached is used to look at and take pictures of internal organs. Endoscopy might be used to diagnose some cancers, but not others. For example, it may be useful for colorectal cancer, but not lymphoma. This procedure can also help guide a practitioner as they perform a biopsy. What is Endoscopy? Staging Stage 4 cancer is the most advanced stage of cancer based on what is known as the TNM system. Each letter refers to specific features of a cancer: T refers to the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to nearby tissue or organs. The T rating ranges from 0 to 4.N refers to whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, the extent of which is scored from 0 to 3.M stands for metastasis. There are two M stages: M0 means there's no spread, while M1 means cancer cells have metastasized. An M score of 1 automatically classifies cancer as stage 4. Still, prognosis of an M1 case varies depending on the T and N classifications of the cancer. Some stage 4 cancers have sub-stages. For example, stage 4 prostate cancer may be labeled as stage 4A. This means it has spread to lymph nodes near the site. Stage 4B means the spread is farther away, and the cancer may have reached bones or distant lymph nodes. Recap Lab tests, biopsy, and imaging are among the techniques used to diagnose cancer and determine its stage. The TNM system describes the growth and spread of cancer cells. TNM values are used to determine a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Treatment Verywell / Julie Bang Stage 4 cancer usually can't be cured. In addition, because it will have spread throughout the body, it is unlikely it can be completely removed. The goal of treatment is to prolong survival and improve quality of life. An oncologist will treat the cancer depending on its type, where it has spread, and other factors. Some of the options include surgery, medication, and Surgery Surgery typically is not used to treat stage 4 cancer. However, if the sites of spread are small and there aren't very many of them, they can be removed along with the primary tumor. Surgery may relieve symptoms and help prevent the cancer from spreading even more. Targeted Therapy Some cancer cells can be treated with medications that target specific proteins or genetic mutations. These drugs work in different ways. For example, some help starve a tumor of its blood supply, while others block signals that prompt cancer cells to divide. Testing can determine whether your tumor could respond to any of the available drugs. Immunotherapy This treatment relies on drugs that use your immune system, including blood proteins called antibodies, to attack tumor cells. Immunotherapy drugs exist for many types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon and rectum, kidney, liver, lung, and blood (leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma). What Is Immunotherapy and How Does It Work? HIPEC Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, or HIPEC for short, is a procedure sometimes used after surgery for stage 4 cancer that has spread to the lining of the abdomen. A heated chemotherapy solution is used to bathe the tissue. HIPEC has been shown to improve survival and extend life by as much as 60%. Palliative Care The goal of palliative care for stage 4 cancer is to improve quality of life. It is provided by a team of healthcare providers and social workers who work with seriously ill patients. It is not hospice or end-of-life care. Rather, palliative care is designed to relieve pain, ease stress, and help a person with advanced cancer feel as comfortable as possible. Radiation therapy used to shrink a tumor that is causing pain or interfering with how well the body functions is an example of a palliative therapy. Care may also include counseling to help people manage mental and emotional issues that arise with chronic or life-threatening illness. Recap Treatment of stage 4 cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer. Surgery is not usually an option for stage 4 cancer, and advanced cancer cannot be cured. However, there are other options, such as targeted therapies, that can improve survival times. How Palliative Care Is Used in Cancer Prognosis Once you're diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, you will always have stage 4 cancer. That may not mean that you'll always be sick or that the cancer will kill you. In most cases, how stage 4 cancer is likely to progress (its prognosis) depends on the type of cancer. Some advanced cancers are very aggressive and fast-growing. Some may have fewer treatment options than others. The outlook for these cases is not likely to be positive. However, remember that although stage 4 cancer can't be cured, it isn't necessarily terminal—which suggests the end of life is near. People with stage 4 cancer often live many years after diagnosis, which is why it's more accurate to describe it as "advanced" or "late-stage." Survival Rates One aspect of the prognosis for advanced cancer is called relative survival rate. This refers to the percentage of people with a certain diagnosis who are likely to live a specific amount of time. The rates for advanced cancers are based on statistics published in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database. SEER does not use TNM to classify cancers. Instead, it uses three stages—localized, regional, and distant—with "distant" generally meaning the same thing as stage 4. It refers to cancer that has spread beyond the original site, or nearby tissue or lymph nodes. For most types of cancer, SEER uses five-year survival rates. Five-Year Survival Rates for Distant (Stage 4) Cancer Cancer Type Relative 5-Year Survival Rate Leukemia* 63.7% Non-Hodgkin lymphoma* 63.3% Thyroid 54.9% Prostate 30.2% Breast (female) 28.1% Melanoma (skin) 27.3% Uterine (endometrial) 17.3% Colon and rectal 14.2% Kidney, renal pelvic 13.0% Lung and bronchus 5.8% Bladder 5.5% Pancreatic 2.9% * Lymphoma and leukemia are staged differently from other cancers. The Non-Hodgkin lymphoma number is the stage 4 survival, while the leukemia number refers to the five-year survival rate at any stage. Other factors that affect the prognosis for stage 4 cancer include age, overall health, smoking history, and performance status (PS). PS is how well a person is able to perform everyday tasks. It's based on a classification system that uses a scale of 0 to 5. Remission It doesn't happen often, but some cancers can go into remission even if they are stage 4. Breast cancer is one such example. Remission is when the signs and symptoms of cancer have gone away to the point where doctors declare the patient successfully treated. Remission rates for stage 4 cancer vary. Even if a stage 4 cancer patient goes into remission, the cancer will probably come back. In cases like these, the stage 4 remission may instead be termed no evidence of disease (NED). Recap The prognosis for stage 4 cancer depends on several factors, including the cancer type and how fast it spreads. In most cases, stage 4 cancer will not go into remission. Because stage 4 cancer cannot be cured, it will always be called stage 4 cancer once it is identified as such. Summary Stage 4 cancer, sometimes called advanced cancer or late-stage cancer, is cancer that has metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body from the original site. This happens when cancer cells break away from the primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Symptoms of stage 4 cancer mainly depend on which organs are affected, though there may be no symptoms at all. The prognosis for stage 4 cancer, often described in terms of survival rate, typically is not good. However, it does vary among different types of cancer. The treatment goal is not to cure stage 4 cancer, but to ease symptoms, improve quality of life, and try to keep it from progressing. A Word From Verywell Survival rates for some cancers are low, but they are improving. For instance, compared to breast cancer average life expectancy statistics of the 1980s, those after 2010 nearly doubled. With next-generation targeted therapies and immunotherapies, those gains are likely to continue. Frequently Asked Questions Are stage 4 cancers curable? Stage 4 cancer is usually considered uncurbable. However, there are treatment options that can help prolong survival and improve your quality of life. Learn More: How Can You Prevent Cancer? How long can you live with stage 4 liver cancer? Stage 4 liver cancer is also known as distant liver cancer, which means it’s spread to other organs and lymph nodes. The five-year survival rate is 2.2% for men and 4.0% for women. Learn More: What You Should Know About Stage 4 Liver Cancer What is the deadliest type of cancer? Lung and bronchus cancer cause the most deaths each year. This is partially due to the fact that people are often not diagnosed with the disease until it is already at an advanced stage. Learn More: The 5 Most Deadly Cancers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Limiting processed foods and red meats can help ward off cancer risk. These recipes focus on antioxidant-rich foods to better protect you and your loved ones. Sign up and get your guide! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 14 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Cancer Institute. Metastatic cancer: When cancer spreads. American Cancer Society. Cancer staging. National Cancer Institute. Stage IV prostate cancer. 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