A recurrence can be either local (confined to the breast area or nearby tissues) or at a distant site (beyond the breast and nearby tissues). Areas of distant tumor involvement are called metastases. The vast majority of women with metastatic breast cancer have a recurrent or relapsed tumor.

 Metastatic breast cancer is the most advanced stage (stage IV) of breast cancer. Cancer cells have spread past the breast and axillary (underarm) lymph nodes to other areas of the body where they continue to grow and multiply.

 Breast cancer has the potential to spread to almost any region of the body. The most common region breast cancer spreads to is the bone, followed by the lung and liver. Treatment of metastatic breast cancer generally focuses on relieving symptoms and extending a woman’s lifetime.

The choice of treatment for metastatic breast cancer depends on several individual factors, including specific features of the woman's breast cancer, the extent and location of metastases, the expected response of the cancer to the various types of therapy, treatment-related side effects, and a woman's personal preferences.

Treatment options for metastatic breast cancer may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapies, or some combination of these options. These treatments may not necessarilt translate to long-term survival without disease recurrence (termed relapse-free survival). However, they can prolong life and delay the progression of the cancer, thereby improving the quality of life.

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