What does metastatic cancer mean? Can metastatic tumours be managed in the long term?
Metastatic (or stage IV) cancer means that tumour cells have detached from their primary site of origin, spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to distant organs and tissues, and established new neoplastic foci there. Although metastatic cancer is traditionally responsible for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths and remains incurable in most cases, modern oncological therapies—including targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and local interventions—enable an increasing number of patients to achieve durable disease control, thus in many cases transforming the disease into a long-term manageable, chronic condition.\n\nAccording to population-level data, the 5-year survival rate of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic cancer has more than doubled in recent decades (from 10.6% to 23.6%), which confirms an increase in long-term survival due to therapeutic advances, although outcomes vary across tumour types.\n\nSurveys conducted among oncologists indicate that modern immunotherapies yielding durable responses, targeted therapies tailored to molecular alterations, and the oligometastatic state make it possible to curb tumour progression over the long term, and in certain subgroups, even raise the possibility of achieving a cure or prolonged remission.