Stage 4 is when the cancer has spread to other organs of the body, most often the bones, lungs, liver, or brain. Or, the tumor has spread locally to the skin and lymph nodes inside the neck, near the collarbone. If a doctor finds the cancer during this stage it is most likely too late to treat. It is during this stage when most fatalities occur. There are many different types of treatment for breast cancer.
Many people know of a mastectomy.
People do not realize that there are three different types of mastectomies. A partial mastectomy is the removal of the cancer as well as some of the breast tissue around the tumor and the lining over the chest muscles. A radical mastectomy is the removal of the breast, chest muscles, and all of the lymph nodes under the arm. A lumpectomy is another breast cancer treatment. This is the removal of the lump in the breast and some of the tissue around it.