What does it mean to be a cancer survivor?

A person is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life, according to the National Cancer Institute. You don't have to finish treatment to be called a survivor—survivorship begins at diagnosis.

There are many types of survivors, including those living with cancer and those free of cancer. What being a survivor means to you may change over time, and some people might prefer another term entirely to describe themselves.

Survivorship covers a lot of ground: adjusting to life after treatment, follow-up medical care, late effects of treatment that may show up months or years later, and family issues. For many people, life after treatment involves finding a "new normal"—not so much getting back to how things were, but finding what's normal for them now.

Whatever the word means to you, support is available at every stage. Your care team can help with follow-up care plans, managing physical and emotional changes, and coping with the fear that cancer might come back.