Cancer: Can It Be Cured?
Some people think that because a person has cancer he or she is going
to die. Although some people do die from cancer, many do not. More people
are living with cancer today than ever before. In many cases, cancer treatment
can cause a remission (ree-MISH-un).* Remission means that there are no
more signs of the cancer. A remission can last for months or years and sometimes
lasts so long that the person is considered cured. But sometimes the cancer
comes back. If this happens, it is called a relapse (REE-laps) or recurrence
(re-KUR-unce). When that happens, treatment usually starts again.
Whether the person in your family can be cured of cancer depends on
many things, and no booklet can tell you exactly what to expect. If you
wonder how your parent or brother or sister is doing, ask an adult who you
think will know. Ask someone in your family or someone who works with people
who have cancer. If your parents agree, you may want to talk to the doctor,
nurse, or social worker at the hospital where your family member goes for
treatment. Nobody can tell you what will happen in the future, but they
can help you understand what is happening.
It may help to know that a lot of cancer research is being done, and
ways of treating cancer are getting better.
*Groups of letters surrounded by ( ) are here to help you pronounce
words that might be new to you.
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