Living with Advanced Cancer
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Living with Advanced Cancer
About this information
This information has been prepared to help you understand more about advanced cancer – a cancer that has spread, come back, or is at a late stage when found (diagnosed).
If cancer spreads beyond where it first started (the primary site), it may be called secondary, metastatic, stage 4 or advanced cancer. Cancer that has come back is called a recurrence or relapse. People may find out they have advanced cancer when it is first diagnosed. We call all these situations “advanced cancer”.
On these pages, find out more about:
- Answers to some key questions about advanced cancer
- The emotional impact of advanced cancer
- The effect on people in your life and ways to share how you are feeling
- Making treatment decisions
- Treatments for advanced cancer
- Tips on managing some of the symptoms caused by advanced cancer
- Practical, medical and legal issues to consider
This information is reviewed by
This information was last reviewed December 2022 by the following expert content reviewers: Dr Lucy Gately, Medical Oncologist, Alfred Health and Walter and Eliza Institute for Medical Research, VIC; Dr Katherine Allsopp, Supportive and Palliative Care Specialist, Westmead Hospital, NSW; A/Prof Megan Best, The University of Notre Dame Australia and The University of Sydney, NSW; Dr Keiron Bradley, Palliative Care Consultant, Medical Director Palliative Care Program, Bethesda Health Care, WA; Craig Brewer, Consumer; Emeritus Professor Phyllis Butow, Psychologist, The University of Sydney and Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Louise Durham, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Outpatients, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Palliative Care, QLD; Dr Roya Merie, Radiation Oncologist, ICON Cancer Centre, Concord, NSW; Penny Neller, Project Coordinator, National Palliative Care Projects, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, QLD; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Xanthe Sansome, Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia, VIC; Sparke Helmore Lawyers; Peter Spolc, Consumer.