Remission

A decrease in or disappearance of the signs of cancer in your body.

Remission means the signs of cancer have gone down or gone away. In a partial remission, the cancer has shrunk but some remains. In a complete remission, tests can no longer detect any cancer at all — which is wonderful news, and the goal of much cancer treatment.

Complete remission isn’t quite the same as “cured,” and that’s why your team keeps following up with check-ups and scans for a while afterward. That ongoing watch isn’t a bad sign — it’s simply how doctors make sure things stay quiet and catch anything early. Reaching remission is a real milestone worth holding onto.