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June is Cancer Survivorship Month, a time to honour the strength, resilience, and unique journeys of millions of people who have faced a cancer diagnosis.

But what does it truly mean to be a cancer survivor? The answer is both simple and deeply personal, and the definition of a cancer survivor is different depending on whom you ask and why you ask.

The American Cancer Society states that a ‘Cancer Survivor’ is a person with a diagnosis of cancer, irrespective of what stage of treatment they are in.

The National Cancer Institute suggests that there are many types of cancer survivors, including those who are living with cancer or on cancer treatment and those who are free from cancer.

In more practical terms, a cancer survivor is one who has had a diagnosis of cancer, has taken the treatment and is now in remission (i.e. having no or fewer signs of surviving cancer cells).

Some experts categorise cancer survivorship into three stages, which are based on the cancer stage.

• Early-stage cancer – when the cancer is diagnosed early and treated immediately before it spreads

• Regional cancer – when the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or tissues closest to the primary cancer organ
• Advanced or metastatic cancer – when the cancer has spread to more distant organs or tissues

Other experts have categorised cancer survivorship into phases

• Acute survivorship - starting with diagnosis and ending when treatment ends
• Extended survivorship – including a few months after treatment ends
• Permanent survivorship – those declared cancer-free for several years after diagnosis and treatment

Cancer survivorship is a journey of resilience and strength, marked by the courage to overcome challenges and reclaim life after diagnosis. Survivors navigate the physical and emotional aftermath of treatment-such as pain, fatigue, digestive changes, and cognitive shifts-with determination and hope. With growing awareness, support networks, and medical advancements, the path of survivorship is increasingly one of empowerment, healing, and transformation.

Being a survivor may change from time to time and situation to situation. Yet, the bottom line remains that cancer survivorship is not a stigma, but a definition of a journey that shows incredible resilience and courage.

This June, as we celebrate the people who have ‘survived’, let us not only cheer from the sidelines, but also take a stand to improve awareness about early diagnosis, break myths, and improve lives along the way. Let us pave the path for more ‘Cancer Survivors’ so that every person touched by cancer has the chance to live a life that is not defined by their diagnosis, but by their courage and resilience, driven by the support of a united community.

Dr.Kiran Tamkhane
DNB DrNB
Consultant Cancer Physician
MOC Cancer Care & Research Centre, Thane & Kalyan.