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remission? confusion

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 11/4/2010 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
I am still in remission!
Means just what ?
If the PSA has risen ever so much are we considered out of remission ?
not risen at all : cured ?
risen very little : ?
I have yet to meet with a Doctor that has told me I am I am in remission! let alone cured
Posted 11/5/2010 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
If your PSA stays undetectable for 10 years, you are officially "cured"...
If your PSA stays detectable but steady you are in remission..
If your PSA number doubles every X number of months, you have active, uncontrolled cancer..
Posted 11/5/2010 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
To each their own. I don't use these terms, but don't have a problem when people use them.

When people ask for my status I tend to say that "it is under control". That works for any PSA activity, it's relevant for PC, and I think it is really what most PC patients are trying to do.
Posted 11/5/2010 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
In my opinion, few men are ever "cured" of prostate cancer. When you think of how many million PC cells it takes to start a rise in PSA, what are the odds that the surgeon or radiologist, or the which doctor can eliminate every single one?

It would seem that our treatment eliminates many , many PC cells. Based on the aggresiveness, it may take 10 or 15 years to grow back enough to be significant. Hence a form of remission.

For others, either the treatment didn't get it all, and larger colonbies of cells are in other places, or we have a very agressive cancer which can grow back quickly.

Just my 2 cents worth on cures.
Posted 11/5/2010 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
Cured is a pretty strong word - not sure I'll ever want to use it, for fear that the next day I'm proved wrong.
Posted 11/5/2010 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
You were cured when you die from something else...
Posted 11/5/2010 3:55 AM (GMT 0)

i think death from any cause would be curative cool .

ed

Posted 11/5/2010 7:51 AM (GMT 0)
I found this definition at MedicineNet.com:

"Remission: Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer or other disease. When this happens, the disease is said to be "in remission." A remission can be temporary or permanent."

There is also a relevant article at:
ezinearticles.com/?Cancer-Remission:-What-Is-It-Exactly?&id=242550
from which this quote:
"Many people seem to have a distorted and incorrect definition of the word "remission," as it is used in relation to cancer patients. Most commonly people seem to believe that going into remission means that the patient is successfully treated and safe.

However, according to the American Cancer Society, cancer remission is a "period of time when the cancer is responding to treatment or is under control. In a complete cancer remission, all the signs and symptoms of the disease disappear...Complete cancer remissions may continue for several years and be considered cures."

So, someone who goes into cancer remission is not showing signs or symptoms of the cancer. It doesn't matter how many cancer cells are still going strong and growing in the body of the patient, for any time frame that it isn't causing "signs and symptoms," the patient is said to be in remission."

There is another definition at:
cancer.about.com/od/newlydiagnosed/f/cancerremission.htm

"Cancer remission is often thought to mean that the cancer has been cured. However, this is not always true.
There are different classifications of remission - complete and partial remission.
Complete remission means that there are no signs or symptoms of cancer. This can mean the cancer has been cured, or cancer may still be present in the body.
Partial remission refers to the point when few signs and symptoms of cancer remain, however there is a noticeable decrease of cancer cells."


So after treatment, if you have low stable <0.1 PSA then you are in remission. But it does not mean you will stay in remission. (at some point in the future you may have to say "I was in temporary remission") The passage of time (years) is required before you can talk in terms of being "cured".

So technically I am in remission and the "Zero Club" members are all in remission, but who nows if we are cured so Cancer Limbo is what it feels like for me right now.

Alf
Posted 11/5/2010 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
Alf, thanks for looking those terms up and reporting them back here. I have not been using the word "remission" in my own description, but may start including it now.

You all probably experience the same thing that I do...the example of a friend that I haven't seen in perhaps several months or more approaches and says "How ARE you doing?" I know inside that they are asking about how my cancer is doing; it can be a moment of awkwardness.

My responses haven't always rolled off the tongue smoothly. Usually I say something closely resembling "The surgery I had should cure me forever, but I have to keep testing annually just to make sure."
Posted 11/5/2010 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
not convinced there is a cure for anyone. many have lifetime remission until they die of something else other than PC. i consider my PC an ongoing event at this time. i have never stayed near zero long enough at a time to feel any comfort at this point. and we have seen cases of guys being zeros for 15-20 years, and then its back again in their lives.

david
Posted 11/5/2010 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah. I hate the "How are you?" out of the blue from people you haven't told anything or everything to. (Had one today - I just do a sort of mime where I make a face and shrug my shoulders and imply that it's just life in general that's getting me down. It sucks. I think I'd like to be able to tell all folk how I feel.)
There is however a closer group I do keep up to date, but even they don't really get to hear how I am. I mean how do you tell anyone about peeing/crapping in your pants, having ED or at best problems with your sex life - who are you going to talk to about dry orgasms?! - and as for telling them about being scarred about my future! The only time it seems to work is when it turns out that the other person has gone through or is going through something bad of their own, then it tends to pour out.

It also makes it just about impossible to make new friends.

Alf - doing his best to keep going
Posted 11/5/2010 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Okay then Thanks as I thought "responding to treatment or is under control". pretty much like a Marriage until Death do you part.
I have NEVER shown Signs of illness every trip to the Oncologist of choice has been at the hast of another Doctors advise it would seem this PC is a cancer of a different animal it can lay dormant for years , "enough years for one to have passed from other causes" the treatments are varied and most successful each in there own right it would seem the work in developing a CURE is continuing of course a cure would make other options obsolete therefore making the gazillions of dollars invested in a wide array treatment useless? huh I wonder? I suppose in this case one does not fit all.
Posted 11/5/2010 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
alf, i agree, most non PC people, really wouldnt want to know what we deal with. i usually, if forced, simply say i am dealing with prostate cancer and let it go at that. if i really wanted to gross out someone, i could show them my new stoma for laughs
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