What does it mean when a brain tumor is in remission?
When a tumor is in remission or is stable, it means the tumor cells have entered a phase in which they generally have stopped growing or multiplying. This may or may not mean that these tumor cells will never grow again. In some cases, the tumor has actually been destroyed and the area it occupied in the brain is composed only of dead tissue, called necrosis. In other circumstances, tumor cells remain alive or viable, and retain the capacity to grow actively again, meaning that the tumor may recur at a later date.
When a tumor is in remission or is stable, it means the tumor cells have entered a phase in which they generally have stopped growing or multiplying. This may or may not mean that these tumor cells will never grow again. In some cases, the tumor has actually been destroyed and the area it occupied in the brain is composed only of dead tissue, called necrosis. In other circumstances, tumor cells remain alive or viable, and retain the capacity to grow actively again, meaning that the tumor may recur at a later date.
When a brain tumor is in remission, the tumor cells have entered a phase in which they generally have stopped growing or multiplying. This may or may not mean that these tumor cells will never grow again. After treatment, in some cases, the tumor has actually been destroyed and the area it occupied in the brain is composed only of dead tissue. In other circumstances, tumor cells remain alive, or viable, and retain the capacity to grow actively again, meaning that the tumor may recur at a later date.
It means that all signs of the tumor (as evaluated by MRI) are gone. This does not mean that the tumor is cured. Rather, it means that our current imaging techniques, including MRI, are not sufficiently sensitive to pick up any remaining few malignant tumor cells. This is why we often continue to treat brain tumors with chemotherapy once all signs of the tumor are gone.
