Stage IV breast cancer is cancer of the breast that already spreads to other organs in the body such as bone, brain and liver. Patients diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer have the worst survival rates among breast cancer patients.
Effects
According to Cbcrp.Org, the median survival of patients with stage IV breast cancer is 51 months. That is, if you are diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer to day, there is a 50/50 chance that you will live more than 4 to 4.5 years after your diagnosis.
History
The survival rate of patients diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer has been significantly improved in recent years.
According to Cbcrp.Org, the median length of survival of patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in the 1990s was 27 months, which is roughly half of the median length of survival if the patients are diagnosed today.
Interesting Fact
According to Cbcrp.Org, up to 3 percent of patients diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer will survive the disease. The reason for such recovery is not completely understood.
Size
According to "SEER Cancer Statistics Review", stage IV breast cancers account for 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers.
Expert Insight
According to a study published in "Annals of Surgery," surgical resection of primary tumors improves survival of patients with stage IV breast cancer.
