Adam’s Journal
Here’s a question from one of our coworkers at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation:
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in my early 30s, and there have been a lot of ups and downs in the years that have followed. After my most recent colonoscopy, my doctor said I am in “endoscopic and pathologic” remission.
What does the term remission mean? Does it mean different things for different patients and diseases?
Jenny Lee
Dr. Scofield Prescribes
Remission is a period when the symptoms of a chronic disease lessen or even disappear entirely.
The term is a relative one, and it is often modified, usually by words like “partial” or “complete.” As you might expect, partial remission of a disease means that your body is showing improvement – signs and symptoms of the disease have lessened – but the condition hasn’t entirely disappeared. Complete remission indicates that all detectable signs of the illness are gone from the body.
Remission can occur because of treatment, or it can happen spontaneously. For example, symptoms of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) or lupus can wane without treatment, while cancer remission almost always occurs in response to medical interventions like immune therapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Remission is often temporary, particularly when it is partial. However, the period of time a condition remains in check varies widely from disease to disease. For example, some patients are said to have relapsing-remitting MS, which is characterized by periods of new or worsening symptoms (relapse) followed by times of recovery (remission).
Even in the case of complete, or full, remission of a particular disease, this doesn’t always mean the illness has been cured. The possibility of recurrence can still exist.
When your doctor said you were in “endoscopic and pathologic” remission, this likely indicated that during your colonoscopy, your physician didn’t see any inflammation in your digestive tract.
However, there is no known cure for Crohn’s. I expect it will come as no surprise that your doctor and you will need to continue to monitor your condition, as disease flares are characteristic of Crohn’s. And you should continue whatever treatment regimen your doctor prescribes.
Still, the fact that your body is not currently showing any symptoms of the disease is fantastic news. Many Crohn’s patients can enjoy periods of prolonged remission. In some reported cases, those periods have stretched beyond 20 years. Let’s hope you’re in that group!
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Dr. Hal Scofield is a physician-scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and he also serves as Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. Adam Cohen is OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Send your health questions to contact@omrf.org.
