Evolution of the term "Cancer Survivor"

[BrownBagger]

Here's an interesting article in Slate magazine about how the term "survivor" originated and how it's changed over the years. The author is a breast cancer survivor who also happens to be an oncologist.

http://www.slate.com/id/2268104/

Also, just out of curiosity, when do we start counting to figure out our survival status? I've read at dx and I've also read that the clock starts ticking after the first scan indicating NED.

In my case, I'm 19 months post dx, but still carrying around a lung met that precedes my original dx. I'm obviously not NED, but I haven't had an actual recurrence in the past 19 months. If this met hadn't been missed on my original CTS, then presumably it would have been removed around the time my rectal tumor was, and I'd have been NED for about the past year and a half.

It's all academic, I know, but gets into the whole stat thing that we've been talking about recently. I'm curious.

[cptmac]

You are a cancer survivor when you find out that you have cancer.

[Rick7]

I had someone say to me the other day - "So you are a cancer survivor!?"
I had not been faced with that phrase and didn't know what to say.
I just laughed and said "I guess so, we'll see".

It just seems weird to me for it to be used to describe ME.
I have talked about others being cancer survivors in the past, but never really thought deeply about the term.

Rick

[KellyBelle]

I don't like the term "survivor"... there seems to be some finality and closure with it (at least in regard to how friends and relatives interpret survivorship). As someone who's yet to have a clean scan, I won't consider myself a survivor until my oncologist says "your cured and you don't need to come see me anymore!" or until something else kills me.

Kelly

[SkiFletch]

I think about this a lot, and am realizing that with this term, I'm probably as superstitious as a Hockey goalie. I don't like to be called a cancer survivor, and typically correct anyone that says it. I prefer the term cancer patient even if I'm not in active treatment right now. Even though my current treatment is infrequent blood tests and scans, I'm still a patient, I have to see my oncologist regularly. Only once has someone tried to call me a survivor in-person, but I kindly informed them that I'm a patient who happens to be doing well with his cancer journey so-far. I might ease off on correcting people after I get to two years post-chemo, but I'm just not comfortable with that tag yet. There's a long road full of good and bad, (scanxiety, worry, tension, weddings, honeymoons, holidays, etc) to travel still. I feel the "patient" is travelling the jorney; the "survivor" comes out the other side smilling, and hopefully guiding others still on the journey.

And I'm considering my "5year" clock starting at the end of my "chemoverssary", so we're 4 months and counting . That's just my oppinion

[jmarie]

I have wondered this. I have never been NED, or even close but 22 mos later and I am still alive. I don't think of myself as a survivor, I think of myself as a fighter. Whether I live another day or another 20 yrs I will always be fighting cancer, the chances of me being NED ever are very slim but the chances of me living quite a few years with cancer are decent(by my considerations).

[BrownBagger]

I want my epithet to read: "He had rectal cancer, but that's not what ultimately killed him."

[NWgirl]

Good article. Thanks for posting - it covers a lot of what I think about the word "survivor"; a word I'm personally very uncomfortable with.

[Ivona]

Well so it seems I'm not the only one who's not comfy with the term. I avoid using it...why? Mostly out of superstition I guess...I am so scared of jinxing myself. I remember the first time I tentatively used the term in my husband's presence and his eyes just went wide open. Later in private he told me how proud he was of me to use that term. Well..I didn't feel proud...I just didn't know what other word to use! I think I prefer 'patient' to 'survivor'. And of course, most folks don't know what NED means........so that's not useful!

[joeyooser]

I want my epithet to read: "He had rectal cancer, but that's not what ultimately killed him."

Hehehe, well let's hope they don't use epithets to describe you

[disco nap]

Also, just out of curiosity, when do we start counting to figure out our survival status? I've read at dx and I've also read that the clock starts ticking after the first scan indicating NED.

I share your curiosity here, I wonder if there is an official answer

[mm66ny]

My wife and I were talking about this the other day; I'm not sure when you start counting. I was at my surgeon's office a few weeks ago for the sigmo and he said "let's see, it's been almost two years?" But it's almost two years since dx, so I'm not sure what the significance of his statement was. I should've asked.

As to the term survivor, I won't use it. A survivor is someone who's been through something traumatic and is on the other side of it now, and to a degree it indicates that whatever I went through is over, not to be faced anymore. But even if I'm NED, there's no letting my guard down; at best I keep it at bay, right? No matter what, I just have issues with calling myself a "survivor" of anything. I think it makes me sound like I think of myself as victimized, and I don't want to let cancer do that mental trip to me.

And when I talk to people I meet who are going through treatment or just ask me about it, I never know whether I'm supposed to say "I had cancer" or "I have cancer but it's in remission." I usually just say "as far as I know I don't have cancer" or "right now there's no evidence of it."

[BrownBagger]

I want my epithet to read: "He had rectal cancer, but that's not what ultimately killed him."

Hehehe, well let's hope they don't use epithets to describe you

Hehehe--you'd think I'd learn how to use the language, considering what I do for a living. "Hyperbolic chamber;" "Epithet." Sheesh.

[James65]

I don't really like the term survivor either because it simply feels to dramatic. Maybe it's my Quaker roots popping up, but omething a bit more understated would be nice.

It also kind of feels like dating after age 40 in that can the woman you are with really be a "girlfriend." I suppose there are more than a few inaptly named conditions of being.

[Lillian]

My aunt who had cancer at age 45 and is now 92, is a cancer survior. I hope to follow in her footsteps.