Metastatic breast cancer is also classified as Stage IV breast cancer which means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as the lungs, liver, bones or brain.
Metastatic Breast Cancer Fact Sheet
20%-30% of patients diagnosed with early stage invasive breast cancer will eventually develop stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer.
100% of breast cancer deaths occur because of metastasis. No one dies from breast cancer that is confined to the breast.
Median survival after a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis is three years.
Over 40,000 lives are lost to metastatic breast cancer every year – which is 15% of all cancer deaths.
Only 7% of breast cancer research dollars fund metastatic breast cancer drugs and treatments.
