Can there be any chance of survival/recovery for someone with a stage iv cancer?

Depends on Type: Most stage IV cancers are not curable and lead to a patient's deaths within many months to a year or so. Other types, such as breast, prostate, colon, & lymphoma may grow slowly and respond to treatment and patients may live for many years with excellent quality of life. Other stage IV can be cured such as some lymphomas, testicular, and head & neck cancers.