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Difference between remission & cancer-free?

Posted by gangcarotid1 @gangcarotid1, Jan 22 8:16am

After partial nephrectomy to remove 2 tumors on left kidney mid Oct, just returned from 3 mo post-op check-up. Showed cancer has not returned and labs are good... YAY!
I know I'll be going back intermittently to make sure all is still good, but... what is the difference between "in remission" & "cancer-free"? I've searched and searched, and asked... only getting ambiguous answers.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 4 1:13pm

Great question, @gangcarotid1. Here's a good article from MD Anderson that helps to explain.

- Remission, cancer-free, no evidence of disease: What’s the difference? https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/remission--cancer-free--no-evidence-of-disease--what-is-the-difference-when-talking-about-cancer-treatment-effectiveness-and-results.h00-159460845.html

Health care professionals tend to use remission or no evidence of disease (NED) rather than cancer free. Remission and NED both mean that scans, blood tests, etc indicate that there is no detectable trace of cancer in the body.

Cancer free or cure are used less often (almost never) by medical professionals. Even when tests indicate no detectable sign of cancer, it can still return or be undetectable. So technically NED is the most accurate.

I'm throwing confetti and celebrating your recent 3 month followup results. When is your next followup appointment?

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gangcarotid1 | @gangcarotid1 | Feb 4 2:01pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "Great question, @gangcarotid1. Here's a good article from MD Anderson that helps to explain. - Remission,..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Great question, @gangcarotid1. Here's a good article from MD Anderson that helps to explain.

- Remission, cancer-free, no evidence of disease: What’s the difference? https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/remission--cancer-free--no-evidence-of-disease--what-is-the-difference-when-talking-about-cancer-treatment-effectiveness-and-results.h00-159460845.html

Health care professionals tend to use remission or no evidence of disease (NED) rather than cancer free. Remission and NED both mean that scans, blood tests, etc indicate that there is no detectable trace of cancer in the body.

Cancer free or cure are used less often (almost never) by medical professionals. Even when tests indicate no detectable sign of cancer, it can still return or be undetectable. So technically NED is the most accurate.

I'm throwing confetti and celebrating your recent 3 month followup results. When is your next followup appointment?

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Thank you! I was quite relieved. They did find a nodule in the lower part of my right lung (if kidney cancer decides to go elsewhere, lungs are 1 of the most likely places), and are also watching a 1.3cm cyst on my other kidney. Going back mid-May, my surgeon said.
However, we will also be going back earlier than May; have a checkup scheduled w Dr Bancos (endocrinologist) & team for the tumor on my carotid artery, to see if it's changed. Dealing w it was put on a back burner when the kidney tumors were found. Consensus of team was the carotid paraganglioma was likely benign, and is (was?) small. Glad to be developing a Plan to deal w it.
Again, Colleen, thank you for your emotional support and all you do!

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