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Remission

Kat11
Kat11 CSN Member Posts: 1,931 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
What is remission and when are you in remission ?
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Comments

  • Bill.S
    Bill.S CSN Member Posts: 177
    #2
    Good question so I Googeled it to find the answers.
    Remission is NOT cured but a point where they can find nothing exciting happening in your body so the ONCs get bored and say that you are in remission.
    Bill S
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  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 CSN Member Posts: 950
    #3
    Bill.S said:

    Good question so I Googeled it to find the answers.
    Remission is NOT cured but a point where they can find nothing exciting happening in your body so the ONCs get bored and say that you are in remission.
    Bill S

    Is that really what google
    Is that really what google said Bill?Ha ha.....but yeah, I think it basically means gone for the time being but no promise that it wont come back...
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  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl CSN Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #4
    Remission and NED (no evidence of disease) basically mean the same... Currently available scientific/medical technology cannot specifically detect (via various testing methods) the disease - cancer and others.

    It is the best we can hope for. Although some prefer "cured" - technically, "cured" is incorrect. Unless, of course, a BC survivor can somehow achieve 0% risk of recurrence. I don't know that this is yet possible in today's world - no matter what. Hopefully some day... And the sooner, the better.

    When? is a tricky question. Probably totally depends on the individual patient: diagnosis, type of BC, stage, etc. and her (or his) treatments. My own med onc did not declare me NED until about a year or two after I had completed lumpectomy/chemo/rads. However, I began my journey with a very high risk of recurrence - and within 3 years, not the "standard" 5 often discussed. Therefore, this question would be best answered by your own doctor.

    Kind regards, Susan

    P.S. to Bill: How the heck are ya, dude? Good to see you around here again. And certainly hope you're doing well.
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  • KathiM
    KathiM CSN Member Posts: 8,027 Member
    #5
    Bill.S said:

    Good question so I Googeled it to find the answers.
    Remission is NOT cured but a point where they can find nothing exciting happening in your body so the ONCs get bored and say that you are in remission.
    Bill S

    In technical terms....
    Right, Bill?

    LMAO, Kathi
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  • helen e
    helen e CSN Member Posts: 223
    #6
    Kat
    I asked my onc. if I was in remission. He told me that seeing as the cancer was all in my breast and didn't spread anywhere else and they took my breast I was in essence, cancer free. I don't need rads. or chemo, just tamoxifen for 5 years. "Does that mean I'm cured?" Who knows.
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  • Kat11
    Kat11 CSN Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #7
    helen e said:

    Kat
    I asked my onc. if I was in remission. He told me that seeing as the cancer was all in my breast and didn't spread anywhere else and they took my breast I was in essence, cancer free. I don't need rads. or chemo, just tamoxifen for 5 years. "Does that mean I'm cured?" Who knows.

    I guess we still have a lot
    I guess we still have a lot of unanswered questions. I thought we were never cured, because there is no cure for Cancer.
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  • MAJW
    MAJW CSN Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #8
    My radiation oncologist, medical oncologist and surgeon have just declared me to be "in remission." This is after having a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation finishing all treatment the beginning of November, 2009..two months ago.....This means, at this time, there is no evidence of cancer...And for that I am grateful! That's the best we can hope for at this time, and I'll take it!

    Peace to all
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