What is fourth stage cancer?
Cancer is a collective term for a large variety of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Stage IV cancers represent advanced degrees of disease with certain common characteristics.Stage DeterminationDoctors determine the stage of cancer by referencing known facts about cancer development, according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer. Factors included in a staging diagnosis include tumor size, location and number; degree of lymph node involvement; and whether the cancer has metastasized (spread) to distant areas of the body.MetastasisStage IV cancer characteristically involves distant metastasis, according to Everyday Health. Different cancers tend to metastasize in characteristic patterns and locations.IncurabilityEveryday Health notes that most cases of stage IV cancer involve a progression of the disease that is no longer curable.ConsiderationsNot all cancers derive their staging in the same manner, notes the AJCC. As a result, number designation
