Stage 4: 1,129 Real Stories

1,129 stories match stage 4. 777 of them mention chemotherapy.

Claire, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Claire's Patient Story

Patient Info: Claire, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lungs

As of September 2025, Claire was living with metastatic recurrent colorectal cancer as a chronic illness, receiving chemotherapy every 2 weeks since April 2018, approaching her 200th round, and maintaining stable disease with no signs of growth.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer with immune-related diabetes and stable disease at 2 years

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Tumor PD-L1 not reported. Immune-related diabetes showed very low C-peptide and negative diabetes autoantibodies; thyroiditis also occurred.

Metastatic Site: pancreas; pleura/pleural effusion; mediastinal lymph…

Two years after the SCLC diagnosis, she was alive with stable oncologic disease after later brain metastases were treated with whole-brain radiotherapy, and she remained insulin-dependent.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Metastatic rectal cancer: total scapulectomy improves pain and function

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: CEA 418 ng/mL preoperatively; 10.3 ng/mL postoperatively; 7.2 ng/mL at 7 months; 11.1 ng/mL at about 5 months postoperatively; 6.4 ng/mL at 8 months

Metastatic Site: liver, right acromion/scapula, left adrenal gland

The patient had meaningful pain relief and functional recovery after total scapulectomy, but later developed liver and left adrenal progression and remained on palliative chemotherapy with a positive response.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Iris, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Iris's Patient Story

Patient Info: Iris, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Spine; liver; bone

As of August 2025, Iris was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer involving the spine, liver, and bones and was receiving systemic maintenance therapy with monthly injections and close monitoring.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Allison, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Adenocarcinoma: Allison's Patient Story

Patient Info: Allison, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive fusion; later ALK resistance mutations reported

Metastatic Site: Bone (spine, femur, ribs, shoulder); brain

Allison was living with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer and had a strong response to targeted therapy: brain lesions cleared, most PET activity resolved, and the primary tumor shrank to about 1.5 cm. As of August 2025, she remained on second-line targeted therapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with brain and iliac bone response to chemoimmunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1-negative; no EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, KRAS, BRAF, MET, HER2, or NTRK alteration detected; TP53 mutation found.

Metastatic Site: left iliac bone, brain

Brain metastases achieved complete remission without cranial irradiation, and lung, bone, and brain lesions remained stable at last follow-up, with PFS of 35 months and OS exceeding 40 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer to the mandible with later lung and liver spread

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER/PR negative, HER2 weak-to-moderate.

Metastatic Site: mandible/bone, lungs, liver

She died 6 months after diagnosis of mandibular metastasis from breast cancer, after further spread to the lungs and liver.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Linda, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Linda's Patient Story

Patient Info: Linda Norman, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone: humerus/shoulder region

As of August 2025, Linda was 1 year into treatment for bone-metastatic breast cancer with letrozole, Verzenio, and bone-strengthening infusions; scans showed the tumor had not grown and bone scarring suggested healing.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

EGFR-Mutant Stage IV Lung Cancer Treated After Osimertinib-Related Lung Toxicity

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; later EGFR T790M resistance mutation

Metastatic Site: brain, lungs, bones, left adrenal gland, meninges

The latest documented treatment was a lower-dose osimertinib rechallenge with corticosteroids, which reduced the tumor without recurrence of the prior interstitial lung disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

ROS1-rearranged Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma: sequential targeted therapy and 73-month survival

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: CD74-ROS1 C6:R33 fusion; CTNNB1 p.Thr41Ala; APC p.Glu601fs; acquired ROS1 resistance mutation; mTOR p. mutation; FGFR3 gene amplification

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung nodules, brain, pleura

She died on October 6, 2024, after sequential crizotinib, lorlatinib, and cabozantinib for Stage IV ROS1-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma, with total overall survival of 73 months from diagnosis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with gelatinous malignant pleural effusion managed with PleurX catheter and hyaluronidase

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-positive; non-small-cell carcinoma consistent with adenocarcinoma; next-generation sequencing pending

Metastatic Site: pleura / malignant pleural effusion

Her Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma symptoms improved through pleural drainage with PleurX catheter and intrapleural hyaluronidase while oncology planned definitive chemoradiation and possible biomarker-guided therapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with Aspergillus-associated empyema: disease control after chemotherapy and antifungal therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Pathogenic NF1 mutation; CEA elevated in pleural fluid; Aspergillus fumigatus cultured from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Metastatic Site: pleural disease/effusion (M1a)

After 6 cycles of pemetrexed/cisplatin and 6 months of antifungal therapy for Aspergillus-associated empyema, 12-month follow-up showed disease stability without recurrence.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma presenting with central diabetes insipidus

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Weak TTF-1-positive; weak Napsin A-positive; weak p63-positive; CK5/6-negative; molecular testing not performed because of financial constraints

Metastatic Site: brain lesions, cervical spine bone lesions

He died shortly after the second cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma that presented with central diabetes insipidus and brain/bone lesions.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IVA lung cancer with small-cell and adenocarcinoma components: mixed response before infection halted treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 <1%

Metastatic Site: bone (C2, T10, sacral vertebrae); malignant pleural…

The lung cancer showed mixed responses, with right-lung small-cell progression after chemotherapy/immunotherapy and later treatment interruption because of severe lung infection and respiratory failure.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with HER2 V659E/amplification responding to trastuzumab deruxtecan

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial lung testing showed no EGFR/ALK/ROS1 and PD-L1 TPS 3%. Later biopsy found HER2 V659E plus HER2 amplification.

Metastatic Site: liver, bone, brain

As of September 2024, metastatic lung adenocarcinoma had a sustained partial response to trastuzumab deruxtecan after HER2 V659E mutation and HER2 amplification were identified.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Clara, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Clara's Patient Story

Patient Info: Clara, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Biomarker found but specific mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: Bone and joints; brain; liver/other organs

Clara was living with Stage IV metastatic lung cancer involving bone/joints, brain, and other organs. As of August 2025, she had received brain radiation and first-line chemotherapy plus immunotherapy, with ongoing lifelong immunotherapy planned.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Recurrent lung adenocarcinoma with bevacizumab-associated glomerular microangiopathy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No tumor molecular biomarkers reported. Kidney biopsy and complement/immune deposits supported bevacizumab-related kidney microangiopathy.

Metastatic Site: pleura

He was living with recurrent metastatic lung adenocarcinoma after pleural spread and had persistent renal dysfunction and severe proteinuria from bevacizumab-associated glomerular microangiopathy despite stopping bevacizumab.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast AdenocarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive breast cancer. Jaw workup focused on osteonecrosis

Metastatic Site: bone / osseous metastasis

The case focused on metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after antiresorptive therapy; dental pain improved transiently after oral-surgery interventions, but systemic cancer response was not described.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic AdenocarcinomaPancreatic Cancer

Stage IB pancreatic adenocarcinoma with lung and pleural recurrence: long-term disease control on chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Metastatic pancreatic cancer in lung: CK19/MUC1/CA19-9-positive, TTF-1-negative. UGT1A1 *6 heterozygous; no actionable mutation found.

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura

As of April 2025, he remained alive on chemotherapy 6 years and 8 months after initial pancreatic surgery and 4 years and 7 months after pulmonary oligometastatic recurrence, with no new lesions and stable disease on imaging.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: palbociclib and fulvestrant during dialysis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2 0 / HER2-negative; Ki-67 20.1%

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura, bone, right supraclavicular lymph node

As of August 2025, metastatic breast cancer had remained stable for 18 months on fulvestrant plus dialysis-adjusted palbociclib dosing, with hematologic toxicity managed through treatment interruptions, transfusion, and dose reduction.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Devon, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Devon's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Devon, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Devon first reached no evidence of disease in February 2024, then had a Stage IV recurrence in August 2024. After additional chemotherapy and radiation ending January 2025, her June 2025 scans, bloodwork, and tumor markers were clear or negative.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Suzy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Suzy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Suzy, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone

As of July 2025, Suzy was living with de novo Stage IV bone-metastatic breast cancer and had achieved no evidence of active disease after starting targeted treatment in May 2023.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer with emergency surgery for bowel obstruction

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, ovaries, pelvic wall/pelvic mass, liver…

The patient had known metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer and recovered from emergency laparotomy for bowel obstruction, with discharge in stable condition on postoperative day 5.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer