{"id":380,"date":"2019-02-22T02:07:39","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T07:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.menshealthnetwork.org\/Breastcancer\/?p=380"},"modified":"2023-06-11T11:00:09","modified_gmt":"2023-06-11T15:00:09","slug":"metastatic-breast-cancer-stage-iv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mensbreastcancer.org\/?p=380","title":{"rendered":"Metastatic Breast Cancer – Stage IV"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Metastatic breast cancer (also called stage IV or advanced breast cancer) is not a specific type of breast cancer, but rather the most advanced stage of breast cancer. <\/p>\n

Metastatic breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other organs in the body (most often the bones, lungs, liver or brain). <\/p>\n

Although metastatic breast cancer has spread to another part of the body, it\u2019s considered and treated as breast cancer. <\/p>\n

For example, breast cancer that has spread to the bones is still breast cancer (not bone cancer) and is treated with breast cancer drugs, rather than treatments for a cancer that began in the bones. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s estimated that at least 154,000 people in the U.S. have metastatic breast cancer [14<\/a>]. Some women have metastatic breast cancer when they are first diagnosed (called de novo metastatic breast cancer). However, this isn\u2019t common in the U.S. (6 percent of diagnoses) [15<\/a>]. <\/p>\n

Most often, metastatic breast cancer arises months or years after a person has completed treatment for early or locally advanced\u00a0breast cancer. This is sometimes called a distant recurrence. <\/p>\n

Learn more about breast cancer recurrence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Komen Perspectives<\/p>\n

Read our perspective on living with metastatic breast cancer\u00a0(November 2016).*<\/p>\n

Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n

Treatment <\/h2>\n

Although metastatic breast cancer currently\u00a0cannot be cured, it can still be treated. <\/p>\n

Treatment of metastatic breast cancer focuses on length and quality of life<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Treatment is guided by many factors, including: <\/p>\n