Difference between remission and NED?

With Melanoma you don't usually hear the word remission because it is a sneaky little bastard that likes to come back for some patients even after getting clear scans or being NED (No Evidence of Disease). I am not sure of the history of the term NED with melanoma maybe someone from the old days can be more precise.

I can't speak to clinical definitions, but I've heard my own doctor describe them as meaning essentially the same thing to me.  Both also don't mean "cured" which is probably the real reason for their existance.  

For me that would have been the time between clear margins in 2004 to a new primary in 2011. If it helps to think this way that NED is temporary.

At least that’s the way I approach it. To me I have these cells and genetic mutation regardless of NED or not and on that basis even if discharged I never consider myself cured.

That one primary is probably cured, but I still have red hair.

NED is an acronym for "No Evidence of Disease". No more.  No less.  Ed had it right.  Melanoma is a bitch and we don't get to be "CURED".  We can just demonstrate that we show no melanoma on scans, etc. But…I'm NED since 2010 (after being Stage IV with brain and lung mets) so….I'll take it.

I've reviewed my recent notes and they use the terms "NED" and "CR" synomously although my understanding is that CR is "Complete Response" (to treatment) rather than "Complete Remission". Either way, as others have said…I'll take it. Maybe someday we'll get to use the other "C" word 🙂

My only GUESS… and this is pure conjecture… would be that perhaps the patient referred to as "in remission" was "No Evidence of ACTIVE Disease". Perhaps scar tissue, or stable lesions that haven't grown in a certain measured amount of time??? I've always kind of heard NED rather than "in remission" as far as melanoma patients are concerned… but I've also heard people say they are "NEAD" too. Would that possibly be the difference… IF there is indeed a distinction?