Professional
Technical
IVT
relapsed/refractory disease
Hematologic malignancy that has returned after initial treatment response or failed to respond to standard therapy.
Full Definition
Disease state in hematologic oncology where a patient's cancer has either relapsed (returned after achieving remission) or is refractory (resistant to treatment). This designation significantly impacts treatment planning and clinical trial eligibility. The term requires careful hyphenation and should not be abbreviated as R/R in formal medical writing without prior definition. Editorial accuracy is critical as this classification affects patient prognosis discussions and treatment protocols.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate when used as compound modifier; slash acceptable in established medical usage
In Context
- "The patient was enrolled in a clinical trial for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia." — Clinical trial documentation
- "Treatment options for relapsed/refractory disease are limited and often investigational." — Treatment guidelines
Also known as
treatment-resistant disease
recurrent disease
Contrasted with
treatment-naive disease
newly diagnosed disease
Don't confuse with
refractory period
disease progression