Remission in Cancer

What is remission?

In medical terms, “remission” refers to a period of time when disease symptoms lessen or go away. It might last for months, years or the rest of your life.

Remission may not mean you’re free of cancer (cured), but it’s an important turning point for you and your care team.

Types of remission

There are two types of cancer remission — complete and partial.

Complete remission

Complete cancer remission is when there isn’t any evidence of disease found during physical exams, in blood work or on imaging tests.

For example, if you have lung cancer that’s in complete remission, your symptoms will have improved, and your imaging tests will show the cancer has disappeared.

Complete remission doesn’t mean cancer is gone forever. Cancer can come back (recur). Even if you have cancer in remission, it’s important to follow up with your care team so they can make sure the cancer stays in remission.

Partial remission

Cancer is in partial remission if:

• Imaging and blood tests show cancerous tumors are at least 50% smaller than they were before treatment
• Tumor cells don’t appear to be growing

With certain kinds of blood cancer, partial remission means there are fewer cancerous cells in your blood.

You may have heard about people who had “spontaneous remission” — cancer that disappeared without traditional medical treatment. Medical researchers have documented cases of spontaneous remission, but it’s extremely rare.

What happens if I have cancer that’s in remission?

It depends on the type of cancer you have. In some cases, your oncologist may start maintenance therapy. This ongoing cancer treatment keeps cancer in remission for as long as possible.

You should see your provider regularly so they can monitor your health. They’ll do routine blood and imaging tests to look for signs of cancer. This is important. Catching cancer as soon as it comes out of remission means your cancer team can act quickly.

Does cancer always go into remission?

Not always. Here are some reasons why:

• In general, early-stage cancer is more likely to go into remission than advanced cancer (metastatic cancer) that’s grown or spread beyond the original tumor.
• There are more than 100 types of cancer, each responding to treatment in different ways. It’s usually more difficult to have or maintain remission for fast-growing (aggressive) cancer.
• Newer cancer treatments can put some (but not all) Stage IV cancers into partial or complete remission. If you have a form of advanced cancer, ask your oncologist what to expect.

How long does remission last?

Cancer can remain in remission for months or years. Remission times vary, depending on factors like cancer type, stage and how the cancer responded to initial treatment.

Why does cancer come back after going into remission?

Cancer may come back (recur) if cancer treatment doesn’t get rid of all cancer cells. Sometimes, cancer cells that are too small to see with the naked eye may start growing and spreading. Other times, cancer may come back because it finds ways to grow despite treatment.

Can recurrent cancer go back into remission?

Yes. In some cases, people go through cycles of remission and recurrence. When cancer comes back, healthcare providers may try the same or different treatments with the goal of putting the cancer back into remission.

What’s it like to live with cancer in remission?

Living with cancer in remission may feel like riding an emotional rollercoaster. You may feel happy and relieved that treatment put cancer in remission, but at the same time, worry that cancer will come back.

Here are some suggestions that may help manage living with cancer in remission:

• Ask your oncologist what you can expect. They may not be able to estimate how long cancer will remain in remission, but they can explain what you can expect and how to monitor for potential signs that cancer is coming back.
• Develop or continue good habits. If you use tobacco products or beverages that contain alcohol, try to stop.
• Eat foods that are healthy for you. Talk to a nutritionist who can help you create a food plan tailored to your needs.
• Increase physical activity. This helps ease stress and build strength and endurance. But be sure to ask your provider before trying something new.
• Join a cancer survivorship program. Cancer is stressful. So is living with cancer in remission. These programs focus on helping people understand and manage the challenges of living with cancer.
• Take time to rest. Cancer and cancer treatment can take a toll on your body. Make sure that you get enough sleep. Talk to your provider if you’re having trouble sleeping.
• Share your story. Co-workers, friends and family members may expect you to be “all better” because cancer is in remission. You are better, but you’re not free of cancer — at least not yet. Tell your loved ones how they can help you adapt to your new normal.