Remission (medicine) facts for kids

Remission is when the signs and symptoms of a disease get much better or even disappear completely. It's a word often used when talking about cancer.

When someone is in remission, it means their body is responding well to treatment. It's a very hopeful time for patients and their families.

What is Remission?

Remission means that a disease is less active. It might even seem like the disease is gone. Doctors look for signs of the disease. They check for symptoms that a person might feel. If these signs and symptoms go away or get much weaker, it's called remission.

This doesn't always mean the disease is completely gone. It means that tests show less disease. It also means the person feels much better. Remission is a goal of many medical treatments.

Types of Remission

There are different levels of remission. Doctors use specific terms to describe how much the disease has improved. The two main types are partial and complete remission.

Partial Remission

Partial remission means the disease has gotten much better, but it's not completely gone. For example, if someone has cancer, partial remission might mean the tumors have shrunk a lot. They might be half their original size or even smaller. However, some signs of the cancer are still there. The person might still need ongoing treatment. This helps to keep the disease under control.

Complete Remission

Complete remission means that all known signs and symptoms of the disease have disappeared. Doctors cannot find any evidence of the disease with current tests. For cancer, this means scans and blood tests show no cancer cells. It's a very good sign. However, even with complete remission, there's always a chance the disease could come back. This is why doctors often continue to monitor patients closely.

Remission vs. Cure

It's important to know that remission is not always the same as a cure. A cure means the disease is permanently gone. It means it will never come back. With remission, especially complete remission, the disease might seem gone. But there's still a chance it could return later.

For many diseases, especially cancer, doctors prefer to use the word "remission." This is because it's hard to say for sure that the disease will never come back. Even after many years of remission, there's a small risk. Researchers are always working to find true cures.

Life After Remission

Achieving remission is a huge step. It often means a person can return to a more normal life. They might go back to school or work. However, life after remission often involves regular check-ups. Doctors will want to monitor the person's health. This helps to catch any signs of the disease returning early.

Sometimes, people in remission might still have side effects from their past treatments. They might also need to take medicines to prevent the disease from coming back. Support groups and healthy habits can help people adjust to life after remission.

Important Things to Remember

• Remission means the disease is getting better or has disappeared.
• It's a very positive outcome of treatment.
• Partial remission means improvement, but some disease remains.
• Complete remission means no signs of disease can be found.
• Remission is not always a cure, as the disease could return.
• Regular check-ups are important after achieving remission.

See Also

In Spanish: Remisión (medicina) para niños