Remission = Cancer Survivorship
Remission = Cancer Survivorship
A Definitive Equation?
Katie Dougherty
Merriam-Webster defines the word survivorship as, “the state of being a survivor,” which seems like an appropriately simple answer. In terms of survivorship and cancer, however, the solution may not be as simple to solve. This is due to the medical phrase being in remission. Since cancer is not a definitively “curable” disease, doctors will typically declare a patient as being in remission if their cancer treatment has been successful at the given time. Essentially, cancer remission implies that the patient is temporarily cured.
Since cancer remission is not the equivalent of being definitely cured, does this mean that remission and cancer survivorship are not one in the same as well?
Even though an individual may be temporarily cured, they still survived a full round of cancer. Therefore, a patient in remission is technically a cancer survivor. There is also the possibility of an individual being in remission for the rest of their lives, which means that the cancer never returned. Remission is truly a hope-induced state of mind and, in terms of physical health, body.
In the unfortunate occurrence of a patient being diagnosed with cancer again, the patient can still be a cancer survivor due to their previous remission period. Or, does the cancer recurrence signify that the patient is a cancer survivor no more? Perhaps, the patient is no longer a survivor until they are in remission once again?
Admittedly, the equation of survivorship, cancer, and remission is constantly fluctuating. There is no precise mathematical solution or survivorship classification that can encapsulate all cancer cases. Sometimes the best solution to an unsolvable problem is to commemorate both individuals in remission and those we have lost. By using this solution, we can hopefully find some sense of peace through all the fog.
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