Stage 4 Breast Cancer

[Charzar]

Is there any hope when it's spread to other organs? Or is that game over? I want hope but not false hope. It's my mum. She's being so strong and optimistic.

Usually with stage 4 you'll find that the doctors talk about slowing the progression of the disease rather than curing it. Sometimes that's not possible but it's not always "game over". For some people, with the right treatment (and the right type of cancer) some sort of stasis can be reached where the cancer becomes more like a chronic condition, at least for a while.

I wish you and your mum all the best.

@Charzar So sorry that your mum has been diagnosed stage IV. Big hugs.

How old is she? I know people who have been living with stage IV for 10+ years and still going strong. And there is always hope for more treatments.

X

She's 58. It's in her liver and bones. She doesn't want to talk about it really but I find myself wondering about a time scale.

Is this her first diagnosis or is it a reoccurrence ? Very sorry.

I do know someone who had secondary breast cancer in her liver (not in her bones though) and she lived for years after diagnosis. She had various rounds of chemo over those years (I don't know too many details as she was a bit of a closed book)

This happened to my gran and it had spread into her bones and liver too. She lived another 7 years and was reasonably ok for 6 of those and then quickly went down hill in the final year and spent her last few weeks in palliative cafe

I know someone with a similar spread and she has lived (so far) for 15 years after diagnosis of stage 4. She’s in her late 70s now. Her oncologist says 5-10 + survival rates are becoming more common now but not sure how Covid will change things.

Yes it's her first diagnosis. I don't understand how it could be so bad straight away.
Thank you. I was looking at an article that said 6 months after spread to the liver. It was published in 2000 though so maybe a lot has changed since then.
My mum is very much of the view "whatever will be will be" as is her right obviously.

The treatment of advanced stage breast cancer has changed beyond recognition. It varies from one individual to another but the newer treatments can be very successful at halting progression for those who respond to them.

There are also good treatments for liver and bone if they're suited to her.

Don't go by outdated information - and in this area, information is going out of date very quickly.

Look up Kris Hallenga who set up Coppafeel. I think she was 24 when she was diagnosed with bc in her bones and liver. That was 10 years ago. I have friends in the same boat. Including one who just had a baby despite her secondary breast cancer diagnosis. (I have had breast cancer and am part of a group with young women with breast cancer). There is always hope. X

She was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer 12 years ago. Liver, bones and brain.

coppafeel.org/our-charity/kris-story/

My aunt has been living with this for over 15 years. She's 80 now and has regular checks and medication but she's still very much living life. She drives, goes to the market, pre lockdown will go for lunch with friends.

What type of breast cancer does she have? Hormone positive and HER2+ breast cancers have better outcomes because there are other therapies available in addition to chemo, triple negative only has chemo as an option so the average life expectancy after a stage 4 diagnosis is significantly shorter.

However treatments for all types of BC are improving all the time, and there are more and more people living for longer and longer with stage 4 cancer.

I am sorry for your mum's news

I am 51 now. I have stage 4 breast cancer. Diagnosed Dec 2012. Was stage 4 straight away in my my bones. Has progressed to also be in my liver and lungs. Been in my liver for 6 years and lungs for 2. I’m still working part time and looking after my primary age children. I have ongoing treatment to keep me stable and the current treatment I’m on has shrunk the tumours in my lungs. They bring out new treatments. The current treatment I’m on wasn’t available in the uk until 3 years ago. Don’t look at statistics on the internet as they are very dated and everyone is different.