The survival rate for stage four breast cancer, or what is termed advanced breast cancer, is significantly lower than it is for any stage of breast cancer. This is because this cancer has grown and also because it has spread, not only in the area of the breast where it originated, but to other parts of the breasts and also to other parts of the body, the primary areas being bone tissue, lung tissue and the liver.
Many medical professionals feel that their studies seem to show that by the time this cancer has reached stage four, it has invaded and overcome the bodies natural defense system to such an extent that what is called the five year survival rate has dropped significantly to an average of sixteen to twenty percent.
This opinion is backed by the American Cancer Society.
While this statistic is not written in stone, that is it is not fulfilled in every case, the majority of women who are diagnosed with cancer when the cancer has reached the fourth stage, live on the average for eighteen more months after the initial diagnoses.