Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 304 Real Stories

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

Jeri, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Jeri's Patient Story

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

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

Metastatic Site: Lymph node | Ovaries | Fallopian tubes | Uterus | Bone

Jeri was diagnosed with de novo Stage IV ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative ILC involving lymph node, gynecologic organs, and bone; after progression on 2 estrogen-therapy-based combinations, a different drug stabilized the disease 10 months after diagnosis.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeResponding Well
Lisa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Lisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lisa, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone

Lisa’s 2017 lobular breast cancer was found to be Stage II after bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction; despite tamoxifen, back pain 3 years later led to PET-confirmed metastatic ILC in the bones.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Kris, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Kris's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kris, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone | Bone marrow | Stomach

Kris was diagnosed in 2019 with occult de novo Stage IV ILC after endoscopy biopsy showed breast cancer in the stomach, with disease described in the bone, bone marrow, and stomach from skull to femurs.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Leanne, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Leanne's Patient Story

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

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

Metastatic Site: Brain

Leanne was first diagnosed in 2015 with Stage III triple-positive ILC and then diagnosed with metastatic lobular breast cancer with brain metastasis on April 4, 2018, causing major neurologic and work limitations.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Katie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Katie's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Stomach | Pelvis | Spine

Katie was living with metastatic ILC involving the stomach wall, pelvis, and spine while taking ribociclib (Kisqali) with letrozole, with improved stomach findings and stable spine metastases after 6 rounds.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeResponding Well
Beth, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Beth's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Bone

Beth first received chemotherapy and hormone therapy for Stage II pleomorphic ILC in 2005, then developed bone metastases 16 years later and continued living actively with metastatic disease, including a later progression.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Robbie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Robbie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Robbie, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Estrogen receptor-positive / ER-positive

Metastatic Site: Bone; liver

Living with metastatic breast cancer involving bone and liver after earlier DCIS and Stage II ER-positive breast cancer; ongoing treatment at Mass General focused on stabilization and long-term disease management.

Massachusetts General Hospital
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

How Learning To Ask For Help Can Make Life With MBC Easier

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

Biomarkers: Not explicitly reported; HER2-targeted treatment with Herceptin and Tykerb reported

Metastatic Site: Brain; liver

Living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer involving brain and liver; latest scans showed no evidence of disease, and she reported spending most of her Stage IV life in NED status.

breastcancer.org
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Amy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amy Mannarino, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Brain

After brain metastasis surgery and 3 radiation sessions, Amy was doing well with no evidence of disease; the source specifically distinguishes NED from being cured or cancer-free in the setting of metastatic disease.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jennifer, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jennifer's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Feinberg, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: brain

8+ years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, she was living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases and receiving trastuzumab as her tenth line of treatment.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Tiffany, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Tiffany's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tiffany Andrews, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-negative at recurrence

Metastatic Site: lungs|brain

Tiffany is living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer and continues treatment through a clinical trial after progression in the lungs and brain.

MD Anderson
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 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
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
Betty, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Betty's Patient Story

Patient Info: Betty Jean, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Spine; ribs; liver

As of June 2026, Betty Jean was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after bone involvement in the spine/ribs and later progression to the liver, with treatment including targeted therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Janice, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Janice's Patient Story

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

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

Metastatic Site: Other sites not specified

Living with incurable Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer while advocating for dose adjustments, symptom management, and balancing quality of life with survival.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Erin, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Erin's Patient Story

Patient Info: Erin, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; later tumor responded to androgen signaling

Metastatic Site: Lung; brain

As of June 2026, Erin was living with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer involving lung and brain, with tumors shrinking on ongoing Gemzar plus carboplatin chemotherapy every 2 weeks.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Abigail, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Strongly hormone-positive; germline ATM mutation

Metastatic Site: Bones

As of June 2026, Abigail was living with Stage IV metastatic hormone-positive breast cancer with bone metastases after diagnosis at 38 and lumpectomy in June 2017.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Bethany, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Bethany's Patient Story

Patient Info: Bethany W., Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bones; liver; lymph nodes; stomach

As of June 2026, Bethany was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer and responding well to maintenance treatment, with scans described as phenomenal and disease areas shrinking or disappearing.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Renee, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Renee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Renee N., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of June 2026, Renee’s public story described living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer as a chronic illness, after brain radiation and while on Kadcyla every 3 weeks with stable scans reported in December 2019 and early March 2020.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer with orbital and bone metastases responding to nab-paclitaxel plus everolimus

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

Biomarkers: Primary breast cancer was ER-low, PR/HER2 negative. Orbital metastasis was triple-negative with AKT1 exon 4 mutation.

Metastatic Site: right orbit/orbital mass; bone

At 6-month follow-up, systemic disease was stable, ocular symptoms had significantly improved, orbital metastases were stable on MRI, and the response was described as RECIST partial response/progression-free interval while treatment continued.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well