Stage 4: 1,129 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

Pam, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Pam's Patient Story

Patient Info: Pam Benchley, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Not explicitly reported; treated with anti-estrogen therapy and a CDK4/6 inhibitor

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of October 2020, Pam had responded favorably to anti-estrogen therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor, surgery, radiation and liver radiofrequency ablation; her oncologist described her as free of evidence of active cancer, while avoiding the term cancer-free for metastatic disease.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Sjögren syndrome during nivolumab treatment for HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver, lungs, adrenal gland

One year after nivolumab was stopped, the shrinkage of lung metastases was maintained and the adrenal metastasis remained unchanged, although severe dry-mouth symptoms from treatment-related Sjögren syndrome persisted.

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

Advanced Lung Cancer With Extreme White Blood Cell Counts and Poor Circulation

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 70%

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung|bone (left iliac)

After a mixed but mildly improved response to three pembrolizumab cycles, she developed severe paraneoplastic leukocytosis, arterial ischaemia, and acute respiratory failure and died after choosing comfort measures.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Dural metastasis causing seizures after treatment for signet-ring gastric cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: dura mater

She died 16 days after hospital admission for neurologic symptoms, roughly 8 months after the original gastric-cancer diagnosis, following rapid deterioration from diffuse dural metastatic disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Treatment-Related Inflammation Mimicked Metastatic Colon Cancer Recurrence

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

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation

Metastatic Site: liver|peritoneum

Biopsy showed that new lymph-node, liver, and spleen findings were a treatment-related sarcoid-like reaction rather than recurrence, and 18 months of surveillance found no evidence of cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Scott, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Scott's Patient Story

Patient Info: Scott Sterling, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

After nearly 2 years of treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer, Scott was able to have his primary tumor removed in August 2020 and was recovering while the metastatic disease continued to be managed.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric CancerGastric Cancer

Graves disease during nivolumab treatment for HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver, brain

After progression through several treatment lines and development of brain metastasis, he died 4 months after evaluation for nivolumab-associated Graves disease, more than 1.5 years after his Stage IV gastric-cancer diagnosis.

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

Metastatic Lung Cancer Responded Completely After a Change in Immunotherapy

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

Biomarkers: TTF-1-positive; napsin-positive; PD-L1 0%; high tumour mutational burden; no actionable mutations

Metastatic Site: bone (left iliac bone, acetabulum and thoracic…

After progression on nivolumab, atezolizumab produced a complete response by the 6-month scan; after 35 cycles, the response remained sustained, he was alive and well, and no immune-related adverse effects were documented.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Doris's Patient Story

Patient Info: Doris, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs

As of August 2020, Doris was living with Stage IV breast cancer metastatic to the lungs after chemotherapy and bilateral mastectomies, and the story asked for help so she could continue treatment.

YouTube (ES search)
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Recurrent Breast Cancer With a Benign-Appearing Chest-Wall Rash

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative.

Metastatic Site: mediastinal lymph nodes

She had recurrent chest-wall and mediastinal metastatic disease; a later rash biopsy showed dermatitis rather than another skin recurrence.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung cancer response to pembrolizumab complicated by severe kidney injury

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

The lung tumor had decreased after 5 pembrolizumab courses and had not progressed again by hospital discharge. The kidney complication required temporary dialysis but resolved, with creatinine 0.91 mg/dL at 8-month follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Young woman with ductal breast cancer and bleeding gastric metastases

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: pancreas|liver|kidney|stomach

After rapid progression to the pancreas, liver, kidney and stomach, she chose palliative care and died 1 month after presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Lobular breast cancer later spread to the stomach, bone, neck and mediastinum

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: stomach|bone|neck|mediastinum

After gastric metastasis was diagnosed and later imaging showed bone, neck and mediastinal spread, her oral intake and health declined; she chose palliative care and died 7 months after the diagnostic endoscopy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Lobular Breast Cancer Spread Into a Nasal Tumor

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

Biomarkers: Metastatic lobular focus: ER 8/8; PR 8/8; HER2-negative; E-cadherin-negative.

Metastatic Site: liver; bone; right nasal cavity within an olfactory…

The nasal lesion was removed with no residual local disease on imaging, and capecitabine was restarted while oncology follow-up continued for metastatic breast cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Kristine, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Kristine's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kristine, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Lymph nodes; chest wall; upper lungs

As of May 2020, Kristine was living with recurrent metastatic breast cancer involving lymph nodes, chest wall and upper lungs, after surgery and radiation, with daily oral chemotherapy helping keep cancer controlled.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Long response to afatinib in EGFR-mutated lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L861Q mutation; EGFR G719X mutation

Metastatic Site: multiple bilateral ribs

CT at 30 months showed no recurrence, and he remained well 32 months after starting afatinib.

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

Pleomorphic lung cancer responding to pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 tumor proportion score >75%; EGFR negative; ROS1 negative; ALK fusion negative

Metastatic Site: right 8th rib, left adrenal gland

His general condition improved as the tumors shrank, and he remained well 7 months after diagnosis with maintenance pembrolizumab planned.

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

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine Hodgdon, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Christine had no evidence of disease after 1 year and continued HER2-targeted treatment with regular surveillance scans.

AACR
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Howard, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Howard's Patient Story

Patient Info: Howard Brown, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: peritoneum|liver

Howard was living with metastatic colon cancer and undergoing CT scans every 90 days, with further treatment depending on whether scans showed recurrence or progression.

AACR
OutcomeLiving With Cancer