If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with stage four cancer, you probably have numerous questions, including how this illness is likely to affect life expectancy.
To help you gain a better understanding of what having stage 4 cancer means, we’ll describe how long those diagnosed with stage 4 cancer can live, when stage 4 cancer is considered to be terminal, and whether stage 4 cancer can go into remission or even be fully cured.
As you cope with this incredibly difficult medical news, knowledge is power—the more you know about the illness you’re contending with, the more informed decisions you’ll be able to make in response to it.
What Is Stage 4 Cancer?
There are a total of four cancer stages, with stage 4 cancer being the most severe (click here to learn more about the four stages of cancer). It is also known as metastatic cancer because at this stage, the cancer has spread from the original site of the tumor to other parts of the body in a process called “metastasis.” Because stage 4 metastatic cancer is the most advanced stage of cancer, it typically necessitates more aggressive forms of treatment.
When Is Stage 4 Cancer Considered Terminal?
Reading this blog post, you may be wondering: is stage 4 cancer terminal in every situation?
The answer is no—it is only considered to be stage 4 terminal cancer (otherwise known as “end-stage cancer”) when it cannot be cured through treatment and is likely to lead to the patient’s death. The more severe your case of cancer, the more likely it is to be terminal.
Although advanced cases of cancer are unlikely to be cured and are considered to be very severe, this is not the same as terminal cancer. Advanced cancer responds to medical treatment, which can cause it to progress more slowly, while treatments do not slow the progression of terminal cancer.
How Long Can You Live with Stage 4 Cancer with Treatment?
By employing treatment options like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, surgery, and targeted therapy, oncologists and other doctors involved in cancer treatment can help to extend a patient’s life. Most often, you will hear a cancer prognosis described in terms of its five-year survival rate, which is the percentage of people who survive that type of cancer over a five-year period (based on statistical data from hundreds of thousands of people).
Stage 4 cancer survival rates vary significantly depending on the type of cancer. Here are five-year survival rates for some of the most common types of stage 4 cancer, according to data from the American Cancer Society:
- Prostate cancer:32 percent
- Breast cancer:30 percent
- Skin cancer (also known as melanoma):30 percent
- Cervical cancer: 17 percent
- Colorectal cancer:16 percent
- Non-small cell lung cancer: 9 percent
Keep in mind that cancer treatment has advanced significantly in the last few years—because the survival rates listed above are based on data that goes back many years, they do not account for these more recent advancements.
Can Stage 4 Cancer Go into Remission or Be Fully Cured?
Before we answer this question, let’s define the terms “remission” and “cure.”
Remission can be either partial or complete. Cancer is considered to be in partial remission if the tumors have shrunk by 50 percent since before treatment, or if the tumor cells do not seem to be growing. Complete remission involves a total lack of evidence of cancer on all tests, including physical exams, bloodwork, and imaging tests. Even cancer that has gone into full remission can come back, so it’s still essential to keep up with medical appointments and monitoring to ensure your cancer doesn’t recur.
If you maintain complete remission for a minimum of five years, some oncologists might say that your cancer is “cured” at this point. However, because cancer cells can stay in your body for years even following treatment, your cancer can technically recur at any point—so being “cured” is never 100 percent certain.
It is possible for stage 4 cancer to go into remission, but how likely this is depends on the type of cancer you have. It is very unlikely for stage 4 cancer to be fully cured, especially because it has typically spread throughout the body, which makes it difficult to eradicate all the cancer cells. For a more specific prognosis, you should consult with your oncologist, who has the expertise and information needed to accurately assess your situation.
The Life Expectancy Calculator
Using a combination of finely-tuned mathematical algorithms, life tables, and statistical models, the Life Expectancy Calculator can provide an estimate of a user’s life expectancy. With these valuable insights, you can make effective behavioral changes to improve your overall health.
In addition, for further exploration of various topics relating to life expectancy, keep an eye on the latest blog posts in our Life Lessons section.
