Stage 4: 1,129 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 4 breast cancer: ongoing treatment with multi-line chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: hormone receptor-negative; HER2 2+. 2011 recurrence: ER 10%; PR 70%; HER2 2+.

Metastatic Site: pleura/pleural effusion; lung

Metastatic breast cancer with malignant pleural effusion achieved complete response after chemotherapy and long-term endocrine therapy; PET-CT in October 2023 still showed complete response, with ongoing cardiac and bone-health management.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

ALK-positive lung cancer spreading to both breasts after years of targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive, ALK mutation

Metastatic Site: bilateral breasts

At age 51, about 10 years after his Stage IV diagnosis, he remained alive with stable disease 8 months after removal of bilateral breast metastases while continuing maintenance therapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine cancer treated with airway procedures and pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: EGFR negative, ALK negative, ROS1 negative, TP53 negative, PD-L1 <1%, TMB 28.3 mut/Mb

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs

Pembrolizumab-based treatment produced a complete remission, but multiple intrapulmonary metastases recurred in October 2021 after an 18-month progression-free interval. Further local airway treatment was performed and pembrolizumab continued.

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

Stage 4 small-cell lung cancer: complete response on durvalumab

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

Metastatic Site: pericardial effusion; left supraclavicular lymph node

As of July 2024, she had clinical complete response after chemoimmunotherapy and chest radiation, improving immune-related bone changes, and ongoing durvalumab maintenance every 4 weeks.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer with brainstem metastasis: complete remission on chemotherapy

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

Metastatic Site: pons, right parietal lobe, brain

Stage IV NSCLC with pontine and right parietal brain metastases achieved complete remission after 2 years of chemotherapy with an anti-VEGF drug; the pontine lesion remained stable, and severe SRS-related central neuropathic pain improved after methadone escalation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

EGFR exon 19 deletion lung cancer: gefitinib after osimertinib toxicity

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion

As of August 2024, Stage IVB EGFR exon 19 deletion lung adenocarcinoma was being treated with gefitinib after osimertinib-induced grade 3 interstitial lung disease; ILD had not recurred, and low-dose prednisolone continued.

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

Stage 4 EGFR-mutant lung cancer controlled on gefitinib after osimertinib intolerance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 21 L858R mutation

As of August 2024, Stage IVB EGFR L858R lung adenocarcinoma was being treated with gefitinib after grade 3 osimertinib-induced interstitial lung disease; the cancer had not progressed when steroids were completed and ILD had not recurred on gefitinib.

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

Stage 4 lung cancer: complete resection after splenectomy

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

Biomarkers: TTF-1-positive; Synaptophysin-positive; CD56-positive

Metastatic Site: spleen

No evidence of recurrence 1 year after open splenectomy/partial diaphragm resection and later R0 resection of the primary lung tumor for Stage IVB lung cancer with splenic metastasis; systemic therapy was refused.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma transforming to small cell lung cancer during targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion, TP53 mutation, TMB 11 mut/Mb

Metastatic Site: cervical lymph nodes

At the last follow-up in February 2024, 32 months after diagnosis, she was alive and both the primary lung lesion and cervical lymph-node metastasis had decreased on combined chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

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

Primary Lung Cancer That Spread to Both Breasts and the Adrenal Gland

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 negative; EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, MET exon 14, NTRK and BRAF wild type

Metastatic Site: both breasts, subcutaneous tissue, adrenal gland

After the lung origin was established, she was in good general condition and asymptomatic while first-line systemic therapy was being planned.

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

Stage 4 small cell lung cancer: response to carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab

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

Biomarkers: CD56-positive; synaptophysin-positive

Metastatic Site: right hilar/mediastinal disease, left adrenal gland,…

Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer presenting with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction improved after 3 cycles of carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab, with PET response and symptomatic improvement; longer-term durability was not reported.

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

Stage 4 lung cancer: immunotherapy plus particle therapy halts progression

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 90%; high tumor mutational burden; PIK3CA ; TP53 mutation; MET mutation

Metastatic Site: left proximal femur

Stage IV oligometastatic NSCLC had good CT response to carboplatin, pemetrexed, and pembrolizumab, then no disease progression 6 months after PULSAR radiotherapy plus pembrolizumab; grade 2 pneumonitis improved with prednisone.

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

Triple-negative breast cancer: partial response to immunotherapy combination

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 >80%

Metastatic Site: left lung, neck lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer had a partial response after 9 months of pembrolizumab plus MK-4830, with reduced tumor burden, decreased lung and mediastinal metastases, and no new metastatic lesions; immunotherapy continued after prednisone controlled a grade 2 lichenoid eruption.

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

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer That Spread to the Cervix

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER and PR less than 1% in the left breast tumor

Metastatic Site: cervix, esophagus, mediastinal lymph nodes

Cervical metastasis showed a local complete response after brachytherapy, but systemic disease later progressed to the esophagus. She died after 4 months of nutritional support and palliative treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Seven-year response journey in EGFR-mutated metastatic lung adenocarcinoma

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Metastatic Site: pleura, brain

About 7 years after presentation with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma, he remained on targeted therapy. Gefitinib controlled the disease for 5 years; after brain progression, osimertinib followed by stereotactic radiation produced a complete intracranial response.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Sophie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Sophie: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Patient Info: Sophie, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; MSI

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; other torso lesions

As of August 2024, Sophie had been declared cancer-free after Stage IV BRAF-mutated/MSI bowel cancer responded to nivolumab/ipilimumab-based immunotherapy, with PET imaging and liver surgery biopsy showing no cancerous cells.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 4 invasive ductal carcinoma: metastatic disease with bone involvement managed successfully

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

Biomarkers: ER <1%; PR 0%; HER2 score 3+; Ki-67 60%

Metastatic Site: bone (12th thoracic vertebra/T12)

Stage IV HER2-positive breast cancer had improved T12 bone metastasis, major breast-tumor regression on trastuzumab deruxtecan, and pathologic complete response in the breast after mastectomy; durable systemic disease status was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung squamous cell carcinoma spreading to bone and intestine

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive in almost all tumor cells

Metastatic Site: bone (left femur), intestine, abdomen

Despite chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, the lung cancer progressed with intestinal and extensive abdominal metastases, cachexia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Palliative care was planned, but he chose discharge and received no further treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression