Complete Response / Complete Remission
When all signs of
cancer disappear in response to
treatment, it is termed "complete response" or "complete remission." This condition does not necessarily mean that the cancer is cured or that there are no cancer cells in the body; it means only that
doctors cannot detect any evidence of the cancer. A
diagnosis of complete response is formed based on a lack of
symptoms, a thorough physical exam, and radiology and lab tests. When the cancer is still present but has significantly reduced in size, it is known as "partial remission."