Stage 4: 1,129 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

Cindy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Cindy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Cindy Mette, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MSI-high

Cindy’s tumor responded to the experimental Werner helicase inhibitor, with falling CEA levels and radiologic response. The response was continuing in 2025 while she remained on the clinical trial.

MD Anderson
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Severe blood-clotting disorder, liver injury, and reversible kidney injury during treatment for Stage IV lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 about 1%; KRAS mutation

Metastatic Site: bone (right 4th and 5th ribs)

Restaging before cycle 4 showed a partial response. Cancer treatment was then interrupted as severe acquired iTTP, cholestatic liver injury, and reversible acute kidney injury required intensive management.

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

Breast cancer spread into a separate kidney cancer

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

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

Metastatic Site: bone|kidney

The kidney surgery unexpectedly confirmed a new breast-cancer metastasis, changing her breast cancer status to systemic progression. A new systemic treatment was planned.

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

Lung cancer first discovered after a small-bowel blockage

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

Metastatic Site: jejunum|brain|bone

The cancer progressed to the brain and spine despite chemotherapy, and he was admitted to palliative care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Derek, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric CancerGastric Cancer

Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Derek's Patient Story

Patient Info: Derek Cooney | Stage IV

After a Stage IV stomach cancer diagnosis, an emergency physician sought several second opinions and enrolled in a clinical trial at UT MD Anderson.

MD Anderson
OutcomeNot reported
Monica, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Monica Mendoza

Patient Info: Monica Mendoza, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

Monica was continuing chemotherapy after major surgeries and liver-directed treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer with liver metastases.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Rectal Cancer Diagnosed Alongside a Rare Nasal Lymphoma

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

Metastatic Site: Liver segment 7 and right sacrum, considered…

The patient died 3 months after the synchronous diagnoses as disease progressed rapidly and his nutritional and overall condition deteriorated.

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

Long-term lung cancer control after immunotherapy-related diabetes

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 80%; EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and BRAF negative

Metastatic Site: brain|liver

After years of disease control off pembrolizumab, a new brain lesion appeared in December 2025 and was treated with focused radiation. He remained clinically stable under oncology follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerBreast Cancer

Rare Breast Neuroendocrine Cancer That Recurred in the Liver

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

Biomarkers: Chromogranin-positive; synaptophysin-positive; GATA-3-positive; ER-positive; PR negative on repeat biopsy and 40% positive on the mastectomy specimen; HER2-negative; Ki-67 85–95%

Metastatic Site: Liver; abdominal lymph nodes

After temporary responses to surgery and repeated chemotherapy, the cancer returned repeatedly in the liver and had spread to abdominal lymph nodes by May 2025. A new chemotherapy regimen was planned.

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

MET-Positive Lung Cancer Found After Eye Pain and Forehead Swelling

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

Metastatic Site: Right orbit; frontal skull/bone; left iliac bone

After 2 months of tepotinib, the primary lung lesion decreased from about 53 × 33 mm to 36 × 24 mm, metastatic sites were stable and the patient continued treatment without significant adverse events.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease / Ongoing Therapy
Anne, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive

Metastatic Site: spine; hips; lymph nodes; liver

Anne maintained a good quality of life for about 1 year on an oral EGFR-targeted medicine and later entered a clinical trial while continuing lung-cancer advocacy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Clinical Trial
Jeff, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Meckstroth, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive driver mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

More than 6 years after an initial prognosis of about 6 months, Jeff was alive, preparing to retire and continuing biomarker-guided care; the brain metastases had disappeared within a few months of the therapy change.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
JJ, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: JJ's Patient Story

Patient Info: JJ, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome; microsatellite instability

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes throughout the body

At the latest scan, the main abdominal tumor remained stable. JJ had completed 126 rounds of chemo-immunotherapy and continued treatment every 3 weeks; small lung nodules were being watched but were not confirmed as metastases.

The Patient Story
OutcomeStable Disease / Ongoing Therapy
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Kristen Price

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

Biomarkers: JPS

Kristen reported that her sister had fought Stage IV colon cancer and was still alive and in remission.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IV rectal cancer with liver metastases and a rare tumor subtype

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

Biomarkers: HER2 amplification; KRAS/NRAS wild type; microsatellite stable

Metastatic Site: liver

He declined systemic treatment, entered home hospice, and died in August 2025 with Stage IV rectal cancer.

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

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Alison's Survivor Story

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

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

Metastatic Site: Cervical/neck lymph nodes

Alison reported complete remission since August 2017 while continuing intermittent maintenance chemotherapy, most recently 1 month of treatment followed by 2 months off.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Remission
Shari, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Shari's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shari S., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive; no inherited cancer mutation was identified

Metastatic Site: Brain; other initial metastatic sites were not named

Systemic imaging after chemotherapy showed no active disease, but brain metastases later required stereotactic radiation. Shari remained stage 4, continued Herceptin every 3 weeks and underwent brain MRI every 3–4 months.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Hidden metastatic breast cancer found in bone marrow during blood-cancer monitoring

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive

Metastatic Site: bone marrow, bone

More than 7 years after metastatic breast carcinoma was first identified in 2018, she had stable skeletal disease and ongoing biochemical improvement on palbociclib plus fulvestrant in March 2026.

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

RET-positive Stage IV lung cancer: targeted therapy stopped after severe side effects

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

Biomarkers: RET fusion

Metastatic Site: brain|bone

Selpercatinib produced early shrinkage of the lung tumor and brain metastases, but it was permanently discontinued because of recurrent severe side effects. She was transferred for supportive care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerOvarian Cancer

Rare ovarian cancer diagnosed during pregnancy after an initial misdiagnosis

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

Biomarkers: SMARCA4 and TP53 alterations

Metastatic Site: liver|spleen|bone

After a complete response in July 2024, the cancer recurred widely within about 6 months. She died from progressive disease in January 2025.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory