If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s in stage 4. This is sometimes called advanced or metastatic cancer.
Doctors use X-rays, scans and biopsies to find out how far cancer has spread. They also look at a person’s general health and age. Treatment aims to improve quality of life, control symptoms and stop cancer from growing.
Treatment
When cancer starts, it grows uncontrollably in a specific area of the body. It can also spread when cancer cells break away from the original location and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. These cancer cells travel to other areas of the body where they grow and form more tumors. According to the National Cancer Institute, stage 4 cancer means that the cancer has spread beyond the initial site of the primary cancer and into nearby tissues or organs.
Before starting treatment, your doctor will use physical exams, your medical history and any x-rays, imaging or scans that have been done to determine the stage of your cancer. Your doctor may also perform a biopsy to get more information about the type of cancer, its grade and whether it has spread. This information is combined to create a staging report that will help your doctors decide how to treat your cancer.
Your doctors will discuss the results of your staging reports and any other test results with you to decide on a treatment plan. Treatment options for stage 4 cancer vary by type of cancer, the stage of your cancer and other factors such as your overall health and how well you respond to treatment.
Depending on the cancer type, your treatment may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or other medications. Some cancers can be treated with targeted therapy, which uses drugs to target specific proteins that are overexpressed in the cancer cell. These drugs can reduce a tumor size, starve cancer cells of their blood supply or block signals that cause cancer cells to grow.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend hormone therapy to control your cancer’s growth. This is especially true for breast and prostate cancers that rely on hormones to grow.
Your doctor may recommend that you participate in a clinical trial of new treatments for your cancer. These trials are conducted with people who have the same type and stage of cancer as you. If your doctor recommends it, ask about the trials available at your cancer center.
Symptoms
Cancers can affect different parts of the body, and symptoms can vary depending on where the cancer is located. If the cancer has spread from the original site to distant areas, it’s referred to as metastatic cancer. Cancers at this stage may be advanced and harder to treat.
Many of the same tests used to diagnose earlier stages of cancer can be used to help determine whether the cancer has spread. These tests can include blood work, scans and biopsies. A biopsy is a small sample of tissue that’s taken from the suspected area and examined under a microscope for signs of cancer cells.
Some symptoms that can be a sign of stage 4 cancer include bone pain, fatigue and a loss of appetite. If you experience any of these, see your doctor immediately. However, it’s important to note that these symptoms can also indicate other conditions or illnesses, so it’s crucial to talk with your doctor as soon as possible.
If the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes, doctors will check for any abnormalities in these glands. They may also do a CT scan or an MRI to look at the affected organs and tissues. These images can show how far the cancer has spread, which areas of the lung it’s affecting and whether other organs are involved.
Lung cancer is categorized into several stages, with stage 4 being the most advanced. For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), stage 4 is further divided into two substages: 4A and 4B. In stage 4A, the cancer has only spread to one other location in the lung, and it hasn’t spread to nearby lymph nodes.
In stage 4B, the cancer has spread to other locations in the lung and/or other areas of the body. It’s also called metastatic lung cancer.
NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. If it reaches stage 4, it’s usually considered terminal, though it is still possible to control the disease with treatment for years after diagnosis.
Some people develop a fever as a side effect of cancer. This is because the cancer can affect the immune system, causing it to react. Fever can also occur when the cancer is at an advanced stage and has spread to other parts of the body.
Prognosis
When cancer spreads to distant parts of the body, it is usually at stage 4. The prognosis, or chance of recovery, for people with this advanced stage of cancer is not good. But it varies by the type of cancer. In general, treatment at this stage is aimed at improving quality of life and controlling symptoms rather than curing the cancer.
Most cancers are described in terms of stages, with each stage offering more information about the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes. Cancers can be staged with physical exams, x-rays and other tests. These tests use tools that include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans and ultrasound. The stage of the cancer tells doctors how severe it is and which treatments to use.
The most common staging system used by doctors divides cancer into 4 stages, numbered 1 to 4. The stage a person has is determined by the results of these tests and from other information about their health. The staging systems are different for each type of cancer.
In stage 4 non small cell lung cancer, the cancer has spread to tissues or lymph nodes near the place where it started in the lung. It may also have spread to other organs in the body. The stage of the cancer is divided into two substages: 4A and 4B.
People with stage 4 cancer will need regular clinic visits and tests to see how well treatment is working. It is important to discuss these results with a doctor and talk about the person’s quality of life. This can help them decide about palliative care, which focuses on relieving pain and other discomforts rather than treating the cancer.
Even with treatment, cancer in stage 4 often cannot be cured. But treatment may help improve the person’s quality of life for several years. This is especially true if the cancer has not yet spread to other areas of the body. However, it is important for people to ask their doctor about their chances of recovery from cancer at any stage.
Support
If you have stage 4 cancer, or a loved one has, it can be helpful to reach out for support. There are many resources available. You may want to consider joining an online community or finding a support group for people with your diagnosis. You should also have honest, two-way communication with your friends and family members. This will help everyone understand what you’re going through and how to best support you.
You may have many emotions when you’re diagnosed with stage 4. It’s important to talk about them. You might find it easier to discuss these feelings with people who have had a similar experience or who are experienced in caring for someone with serious illness. You might also be able to connect with others through a community or support group led by an oncology social worker at MD Anderson.
When you join a group, make sure that you keep in mind the different needs of people with stage 4 cancer. For example, don’t compare your cancer to another person’s because the experiences can be very different. People with stage 4 cancer often need someone to listen to them without interrupting or interjecting. They may also need someone to help with daily tasks like cooking and cleaning.
Many people with stage 4 cancer are treated with drugs that can ease pain, nausea and other symptoms. It’s important to ask your doctor about what treatment options are available and what the chances of success are.
You may have regular clinic visits to monitor the progress of your cancer and other health conditions. It’s important to attend these appointments and to share how you’re feeling with your doctors and other healthcare professionals. You can also take this time to ask your doctors for other types of support, such as palliative care, which can improve your quality of life and comfort.
