What does remission mean? Remission is essentially when there are no more signs of cancer in your body, or the existing tumor is too small to detect. However, this does not ensure that you are “cured”, as undetectable cancer cells can still be living in your body. Because of this, keeping up with follow-up care and monitoring is imperative to detecting any relapses and keeping yourself as healthy as possible.
Types of remission
Partial remission- When treatment reduced the size of the tumor, but didn’t completely eradicate it. A partial remission is usually when the tumor has reduced in at least 50% in size.
Complete remission- When physical exams, blood tests, and imaging do not show any signs of cancer. This is the ideal result of your cancer treatment, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are cancer free. Most doctors consider 5 years of complete remission to mean you are cured.
Types of recurrence
Cancer coming back after complete remission is called a recurrence. Most breast cancer patients never experience a recurrence, especially if the tumor is found in an early stage.
Local recurrence- When the cancer comes back to the breast, chest wall, or lymph nodes.
Distant recurrence- When the breast cancer has spread to other organs and recurs there. This is also known as metastasis.
Prevention of recurrence
Along with keeping up with a routine monitoring regime recommended by your doctor, making the following lifestyle choices can help ensure that your cancer will never recur.
Remember to…
- Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies
- Limit alcohol use
- Get regular exercise
- Stay at a healthy weight
Cancer treatment is one of the most taxing things a person can go through. You are so strong for making it this far. Understanding remission and how you can prevent recurrence is vital to maintaining the healthy state you’ve worked so hard for!