Glossary
Cancer survivorship glossary
Plain-language definitions of the survivorship terms worth knowing.
- Survivorship
- The phase of life from cancer diagnosis onward, often used to describe life after active treatment — including recovery, monitoring, and long-term wellbeing.
- Remission
- A period in which signs and symptoms of cancer are reduced or absent. Remission is not the same as cure, which is why ongoing monitoring matters.
- Late effects
- Health effects that appear months or years after cancer treatment ends.
- Long-term effects
- Effects that begin during treatment and continue afterward, such as fatigue or changes in sleep or mood.
- Surveillance
- Ongoing follow-up — visits, exams, or tests — used to monitor health after treatment.
- Survivorship care plan
- A summary of the treatment received plus a forward-looking plan for follow-up, healthy habits, and what to watch for.
- Cancer-related fatigue
- A persistent sense of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion related to cancer or its treatment that is not fully relieved by rest.
- Fear of recurrence
- Worry or anxiety that cancer may return — one of the most common experiences in survivorship.
- Hormone therapy
- Treatment that blocks or lowers hormones to help prevent some cancers (such as hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer) from returning; it can continue for years.
- Chemo brain
- Common cognitive changes after treatment — such as memory slips or trouble concentrating — that usually improve over time.
- Lymphedema
- Swelling, often in an arm or leg, that can occur after treatment affecting the lymphatic system.
- Oncologist
- A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer.
Put these terms into practice.
Oncera organizes your survivorship signals into clear focus areas — educational and non-diagnostic.