Who is a Cancer Survivor?
According to the National Cancer Institute: An individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis, through the balance of his or her life. (Denlinger et al, 2014)
This means that any person who has ever received a cancer diagnosis is considered a cancer survivor whether just diagnosed, in the middle of treatment, completed treatment years or even decades ago, or those who are nearing the end of life. For many people, cancer may even become a chronic disease. Some individuals can live years, even decades, with cancer. The disease might be controlled or stabilized with appropriate treatments, allowing some to have periodic breaks from conventional treatment. In this way, cancer care is not always a sprint to the finish. Some survivors, including many with advanced or stage IV cancers, approach cancer care more as a marathon, living with cancer as a chronic illness.
It is important to note that the definition of cancer survivorship includes family members, friends, and caregivers, since they are also impacted by the diagnosis and experience.
