What are the Characteristics of the Last Stage of Cancer?

Last Stage of Cancer Characteristics and its Treatments

The last stage of cancer is considered advanced-stage cancer, known as metastatic cancer. Stage 4 generally refers to the health condition when cancerous cells have spread beyond the original location into nearby organs. In severe cases, it could spread to other distant body parts.

Individuals with stage 4 cancer may live for years if they receive the appropriate treatment from healthcare professionals. This content focuses on the characteristics of the last stage of the most common cancers.

Characteristics of the Last Stage of Cancer

Each type of cancer has unique traits, and stage 4 often shares several key characteristics. Here are the characteristics of the most common cancers:

Stage 4 Breast Cancer

In Stage 4 breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, the malignant cells have extended beyond the breast and regional lymph nodes to distant anatomical sites. It affects organs like the bones, liver, lungs, or brain.
The most common symptoms of stage 4 breast cancer are bone pain or fractures, jaundice, severe stomach issues or dizziness when cells have expanded to the brain.

Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer

At the last stage, colorectal cancer has extended to multiple organs that are far away from the colon. As per surveys, the final stage of colorectal cancer affects body parts like the lungs, liver, spinal cord and bones.
The most common site of stage 4 colorectal cancer is the liver. The symptoms are severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, constipation, diarrhoea, continuous bowel changes and fatigue.

Stage 4 Lung Cancer

In this stage, the cancer has expanded beyond the lungs. In some cases, where only the lung is affected at the start, the cells have started to spread from one to another. When considering other organs, stage 4 lung cancer most often affects the bones, adrenal glands, brain and liver.
Symptoms that may develop as a result of stage 4 lung cancer include weakness in a limb, balance issues if cells have developed in the brain, and jaundice if cancer has expanded to the liver and lymph nodes.

Stage 4 Prostate Cancer

The cancer cells are observed beyond the prostate (in other parts of the body). Even after removing the prostate from the body, cancerous cells have started to form in distant body parts. Metastatic prostate cancer is generally found in the liver, adrenal glands, lymph nodes outside the pelvis, bones and lungs.
Some of the common metastatic prostate cancer symptoms include severe weight loss, pain in bones, specifically in the pelvis, ribs, skull and spine, frequent urination, constipation, and fatigue.

Stage 4 Melanoma

When considering stage 4 skin cancer, malignant cells have started to expand beyond the skin and lymph nodes. They travel from local to distant lymph nodes and other portions of skin. In some cancer patients, metastatic melanoma may be seen in the bones, liver, brain, or lungs.
Symptoms vary significantly depending on where the metastatic melanoma has spread in the body. Patients experience chest pain and fluid around the lungs if it spreads to the lungs. If a patient faces Difficulties in hearing, seeing or swallowing, it spreads to the brain. Easily fractured bones are a common sign when melanoma spreads to the bones.

What are the Common Treatments for Stage 4 Cancer?

There are multiple treatment options available for the last stage of cancer. Doctors often opt for combined treatments instead of choosing one treatment option. It depends on the nature of the cancer and the condition of the patient. The options are:

Chemotherapy: In most cases, it is the only choice for patients to deal with advanced-stage cancer.
Radiation Therapy: Doctors often utilise this option with surgery or chemotherapy to shrink tumours and control symptoms.
Surgery:It is the choice when the tumour is big enough. Remember, doctors can remove some, but not whole, tumours.
Targeted Therapy:It is a precise medication procedure that targets specific cancer proteins and influences their growth.
Immunotherapy: It helps strengthen the immune system to fight cancer. So doctors use this treatment option to treat stage 4 cancers.

Another significant treatment option is hormonal therapy. It is mostly effective in breast and prostate cancers, where hormones are a major influencing factor.