Forum Discussion
How to answer! Am I in remission?
I was asked today if I was remission, and being Stage 3 when diagnosed five years ago, and now had all the necessary treatment I wondered how to answer that. My yearly mammogram and Ultrasound was in January, and all clear, nothing going on that was detected. So when I asked if I was in remission and when did I go into remission the questioned floored me so I just replied, oh yes been a couple of years now. This was asked in front of others, and thankfully I just took it in my stride. But really? People ask this?
13 Replies
- I mainly get asked “ is everything ok now” and I say “ yes”.
Sometimes people say “ you are looking well” and I say “ yes I am feeling well”.
Everyone close to me knows the details of my treatment which is finished apart from the Letrazole.
Humans are naturally curious and usually mean well.
Before I had cancer I didn’t know much about it and I think that is still true of many people. - And yes, people do ask. Mainly they mean well, hoping that the answer is that the cancer is going or gone! But it can be a bit unnerving.
- This gets asked a lot. My own understanding (may be wrong) is that when cancer is still detectable but is no longer developing and may be shrinking/reducing, it’s in remission. When cancer cannot be detected, it’s NED (no evidence of disease).
