目次
What are Complete Cure, Healing, Remission, and Recurrence?
Complete Cure
As the word implies, it refers to completely recovering from an illness or injury.
Healing
When treatment is successful and, as far as can be confirmed either visually or through histological examination, the disease has been cured or the cancer has been successfully removed, this is referred to as “healing.”
During cancer surgeries, tissues are excised with a margin that surpasses the size of the tumor.
And when the surgery removes the tissue and even upon examination of the excised tissue, no remaining cancer cells are detected, this is referred to as a “curative resection.”
Although “curative resection” might seem equivalent to “complete cure,” it is not.
This is because even if it appears that a curative resection has been achieved, there could still be cancer left somewhere in the body that may cause a recurrence, or there might be a non-zero chance of undetected metastasis.
What is Remission?
This refers to the temporary alleviation or disappearance of symptoms.
In the case of tumors, it indicates the disappearance of lumps.
Additionally, when tumor-related symptoms disappear and test results are normal, this is referred to as “complete remission.”
When symptoms that had been suppressed worsen after remission, it is referred to as “relapse.”
Recurrence
Recurrence refers to contracting the same disease again after a complete cure.
In the Case of Tumors
In the course of tumor treatment, “complete cure” and “remission” are sometimes used interchangeably.
However, as explained earlier, “complete cure” refers to a complete recovery.
In the case of tumors, even if the lump is removed, it is impossible to eliminate all at the cellular level, and there is a non-zero possibility that minute tumors, undetectable by the naked eye or imaging tests, remain somewhere in the body.
Thus, when it comes to tumor treatment, the goal is not “complete cure” but “remission,” which means maintaining remission and suppressing relapse.
- Appearance of symptoms again after remission is called “relapse.”
- In the case of solid cancers such as skin tumors or gastrointestinal tumors, metastasis to other organs or the appearance of tumors in the same location after definitive surgery is referred to as “recurrence.”
Harnessing the Power of Immunity to Combat Cancer in Dogs and Cats
When your beloved dog or cat is suffering from cancer, implementing immune-boosting measures can also help improve their prognosis.
At the Cordy Lab, we are researching how Cordy works in relation to the immune system.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
監修獣医師：林美彩 所属クリニック：chicoどうぶつ診療所
代替療法と西洋医学、両方の動物病院での勤務経験と多数のコルディの臨床経験をもつ。 モノリス在籍時には、一般的な動物医療（西洋医学）だけでは対応が困難な症例に対して多くの相談を受け、免疫の大切さを痛烈に実感する。
ペットたちの健康維持・改善のためには薬に頼った対処療法だけではなく、「普段の生活環境や食事を見直し、自宅でさまざまなケアを取り入れることで免疫力を維持し、病気にならない体づくりを目指していくことが大切である」という考えを提唱し普及活動に従事している。
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