Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 304 Real Stories

304 stories match breast cancer and stage 4. 206 of them mention surgery.

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Metastatic ER-positive breast cancer complicated by osteonecrosis of the jaw

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone (sternum, spine, pelvis, and proximal femur)

After progressive metastatic bone disease and severe medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, she entered end-of-life care and died three weeks after discharge to a nursing home.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Natalia's Patient Story

Patient Info: Natalia Padron, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No hereditary breast-cancer mutation identified

Metastatic Site: pelvic organs; ovaries

As of November 2019, Natalia was living about 5 years after a terminal metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, using daily treatment/medications to help control the cancer and advocating for the metastatic breast cancer community.

YouTube (ES search)
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Liver Mimicking Cirrhosis

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

Biomarkers: Original cancer: HER2-negative and PR-positive. Liver recurrence: ER-positive.

Metastatic Site: liver

The breast cancer recurred in the liver after 14 years, produced pseudocirrhosis and portal-hypertension complications, and she died from hepatorenal syndrome five weeks after presentation.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Janet's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Janet Klein, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone: left iliac bone

Janet’s Stage 1 breast cancer later recurred and metastasized to the left iliac bone, but she had no sign of cancer from January 2010 onward while continuing palbociclib plus letrozole.

AACR
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Kate, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

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

Patient Info: Kate Watson, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Chest lymph nodes; spine; pelvis; femur

As of October 2019, Kate had been in remission for about 3 years with regular PET scans showing no evidence of active disease, while continuing monthly HER2-targeted maintenance treatment.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Parotid Gland Eight Years Later

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

Biomarkers: Primary breast tumor: ER-positive and HER2-positive. Parotid metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, and HER2-positive.

Metastatic Site: left parotid gland

The isolated parotid metastasis was completely resected, one-month PET-CT showed no significant abnormality, and endocrine therapy continued with exemestane.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
MB
Breast Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer Presenting With Severe Pulmonary Hypertension

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone; bone marrow

At seven months, she was doing well with a marked response on PET imaging, normalized right-heart pressures, and ongoing systemic treatment with palbociclib.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
AN
Breast Cancer

A Nerve Block Relieved Severe Back Pain From Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: bone (T4–T5 vertebrae)

The nerve block reduced her pain score from 8/10 to below 2, avoided rescue analgesia for 24 hours, and was repeated when severe metastatic pain returned.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Magnolia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Magnolia | Stage IV

Magnolia was declared cancer-free in March 2022 and described herself as remaining in remission while continuing hormone therapy.

Our Cancer Stories
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast cancer recurrence involving the bladder and bones

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial breast cancer: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative. Bladder metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2 1+.

Metastatic Site: bladder, bone, rectosigmoid region, anorectal region

She died in October 2016 from pulmonary haemorrhage, 47 months after metastatic disease was diagnosed.

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

Breast cancer spreading to the colon, rectum and peritoneal surfaces

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

Biomarkers: Primary tumor: ER >80% positive; PR 50–60% positive; HER2 negative; E-cadherin positive. Later colorectal metastases: ER positive; PR negative; HER2 negative; CK7 positive; CK20 negative; CDX2 negative.

Metastatic Site: colon, rectum, peritoneum, diaphragm, liver, bowel,…

Metastatic breast cancer was subsequently confirmed in the colon and rectum, with later laparoscopic biopsies showing peritoneal and additional intra-abdominal metastatic disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer recurrence presenting with numb chin syndrome

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

Metastatic Site: sternum, left mandibular foramen

She was discharged ambulatory without lower-limb pain, although left mandibular numbness persisted, with monthly oncology follow-up planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Occult lobular breast cancer presenting as an orbital metastasis

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

Biomarkers: ER positive; PR positive; HER2 negative; CK7 positive; CK CAM5.2 positive; E-cadherin negative

Metastatic Site: left orbit, bone

The orbital metastasis decreased with treatment and systemic disease remained controlled on hormonal therapy during 5 years of clinical follow-up.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer With Long-Term Tumor Regression After Radiation Therapy

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

Biomarkers: HER2 positive

Metastatic Site: 8th thoracic vertebra

Follow-up showed near-complete regression of the breast tumor, resolution of the bone lesion, normal tumor markers, and a 2015 biopsy with no tumor cells. Follow-up showed no further recurrence, and she returned to work with good quality of life.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer With Bone and Liver Progression After Multiple Therapies

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER 80%, HER2 negative, Ki67 18%. Liver metastasis: ER 75%

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

After massive hepatic progression and liver failure, chemotherapy was stopped and she died on January 31, 2016.

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

Bilateral Breast Cancers Followed by Metastatic Disease and Long Eribulin Treatment

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

Biomarkers: Left primary: ER 90%, HER2 FISH not amplified, Ki67 25%. Right primary: ER 90%

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura, liver, bone

After pelvic bone metastases appeared in 2017, she stopped eribulin, received pelvic radiation and remained on fulvestrant treatment.

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

Metastatic Breast Cancer With Durable Liver and Peritoneal Response to Eribulin

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER 90%, PgR 70%. Liver metastasis: ER 60%, HER2 1+

Metastatic Site: liver, peritoneum

While continuing eribulin beyond 34 cycles, her liver disease was stable and the peritoneal response persisted after earlier major tumor reduction.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Recurrent Breast Cancer Treated With Multiple Targeted and Local Therapies

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

Biomarkers: 2008 recurrence: ER 80%, HER2 FISH amplified. 2011 recurrence: ER 80%

Metastatic Site: liver, skin

After 25 cycles of eribulin, treatment was still ongoing; nodal disease remained stable, while later imaging also noted new metabolic activity in the upper lung.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing