Stage four cancer

[Lippitt]

Hi. Could somebody please explain to me how someone can be told they have stage four cancer but its stablilised? I've tried googling it but there is too much information for me to take in right now. It's a close friend. Thanks.

[douglasr]

I have just been diagnosed with a stage 3 brain tumour. Given that I know a little about (and I mean little) what treatmants there are and the possible outcomes, you need to provide more information like:

Where was the cancer located - lung, liver, skin, brain etc etc.
What treatment was used - radiotherapy, chemotherapy.
Is the patient in remission (stabilised) - normally 5 years after treatment with regular checks (check that I'm correct on that).

Here are good places to start:

Cancer stages:
http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cance...

Info of various cancers and treatments:
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Canc...

[Broomsticklady]

I can speak with comparitive authority on breast cancer having researched so much - in bc, stage 4 means secondaries, and treatment will not be curative but it is treatable, if you can understand that subtle difference. The fact it is stabilised means I suspect they've treated it and brought it under control for now, but how long that position lasts can vary cancer to cancer and person to person - in January my BiL was told his lung secondaries had gone, now they're back with a vengance and all they can do for him is palliative care.

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douglasr said:

I have just been diagnosed with a stage 3 brain tumour. Given that I know a little about (and I mean little) what treatmants there are and the possible outcomes, you need to provide more information like:

Where was the cancer located - lung, liver, skin, brain etc etc.
What treatment was used - radiotherapy, chemotherapy.
Is the patient in remission (stabilised) - normally 5 years after treatment with regular checks (check that I'm correct on that).

Here are good places to start:

Cancer stages:
http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cance...

Info of various cancers and treatments:
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Canc...

I dont think brain tumours arent graded the same as other types of cancer. With a brain tumour they are graded according to how agressive the cancer is and how quickly it is likly to spread. I'm afraid there are only 4 grades of brain tumour, 4 being the most agressive.

Where is your tumour and what Diagnosis have you been give?