Breast Cancer and Remission: What Does it Mean

By Dr. Kathleen Ruddy

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor will discuss with you whether or not your cancer is in remission. Many of the treatments including mastectomies, radiology, and chemotherapy are designed to work towards remission. Remission is defined as a period of time where the symptoms of breast cancer are reduced or undetectable. More simply, this means that tests, scans, and clinical exams show an absence of cancer. Understanding the definition of remission and resources are important whether you are diagnosed with breast cancer or simply want to know more about cancer. Many people are affected by cancer, so it is good to know how to help those diagnosed with it live a long and healthy life.

Remission Defined

Remission is not a cure. When discussing breast cancer, it is important to understand the difference between being cured versus being in remission. However, a patient in complete remission is living a life that is cancer free. Partial remission is defined as the lack of presence of a large percentage of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, but some may still remain. Complete remission, on the other hand, is when there is no presence of cancer apparent in the body. Even in complete remission, there is still a chance the cancer can come back which is why a patient in remission is not considered to be cured.

Five-Year Cure Rate

When discussing remission, doctors will often refer to the five-year cure rate. In some cases they may even discuss a 10 (or more) year cure rate. This simply means that a woman has been in full remission, with no indication of recurrence for five years or more. The five-year cure rate does not mean that the cancer will not come back. In fact, in some rare cases it may recur even after many years of remission. What it does mean, however, is that the risk of recurrence is quite low and that a woman is able to live cancer free for many years and potentially for the rest of her life.

DID YOU KNOW?

While breast cancer is more common in women over 55 years old, younger women under the age of 50 who receive a diagnosis of breast cancer are at higher risk of dying because of the disease.

Finding a Cure

Practically speaking, there is no cure for breast cancer. However, remission can mean the odds of recurrence are so low that a person can be considered cured. Your doctor may tell you that the odds of you dying are so low that you are considered to be cancer free and thus, cured as well. This can depend on many factors including your diagnosis. Your age, general health, prognosis, and treatments can impact remission and how well your body is able to fight off recurrences of cancer.

Recurrence of Cancer

Even in complete remission, there is still a chance that breast cancer can come back. There may be a cluster of cancerous cells that did not show up on scans and that may reappear even after many years. The cancer may appear in the same place as the original tumor, or it may show up in a different part of the body such as the internal organs. Recurrence of cancer can be very difficult, both physically and emotionally, especially if a patient has been in remission for several years. One of the ways to reduce the risk of recurrence, or to catch any recurrent cancer quickly and treat it, is to see your doctor regularly. Frequent follow-up exams are important in order to catch any signs of cancer recurrence early on. In addition, patients in remission are encouraged to contact their doctors with any unusual pain or suspicious lumps in the breast as these can be indications of cancer recurrence.

Achieving remission when you are diagnosed with breast cancer is an important step in living cancer free. Whether you are partially or completely in remission, it means that you are able to focus on living your life and not treating cancer. However, it is important to remember that remission does not mean cured. If you are in remission, you need to take exceptional care of your body with frequent follow-up exams, healthy diet, and regular exercise. Many women live for years after breast cancer treatment, and understanding remission and the resources is crucial to battling breast cancer and helping survivors live full, happy lives.

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