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The Difference Between Cancer Remission & Cure

One of the most fatal diseases an individual may acquire is cancer. It is defined as a condition characterized by the abnormal growth of cells, which become widespread or reproduce uncontrollably. This involves tissues in any part of the body and can infect various organs. Many dealing with cancer often go into remission; however the difference between cancer remission and cure is sometimes mistaken.

  1. Cancer Remission

    • Cancer patients often mistake cancer remission as a cure, but this is not so. Remission is the period of time when the treatment is effective and the cancer is under control. There are two types of remission--partial and complete. The time frame can vary from weeks to even years, depending on the type of treatment and the stage of the cancer.

    Partial Remission

    • As the chemotherapy procedure continues, the patient may experience a successful response to the procedure, which results to the cancer cells being reduced by more than 50 percent. This condition is called partial remission wherein the patient still has cancer, but the cancer cells are still in the process of being depleted.

    Complete Remission

    • Complete remission, on the other hand, is the term used to describe that the treatment is successful in making the cancer completely disappear or become undetected. It means that the chemotherapy procedures performed are completed. However, there may still be undetectable cancer in the patient's system that needs to be wiped out in order to get into the stage of being cured. Treatment may continue after complete remission and annual follow-up checkups should be maintained.

    Cure

    • The best news that a cancer patient can hear is that the cancer is actually cured. This would apply to patients who have been cancer-free for at least five years and does not restrict the patient from daily, professional or personal activities. Regular checkups are encouraged to be pursued by the patient so as to detect any possible recurrences of cancer.

    Stabilization

    • The stage between remission and a cure is stabilization; the medical term that indicates whether the condition of the patient is either growing better or worse. This indicates that the treatment may or may not be working with the patient or the patient is not responding well with the current procedure.

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