Seventy-thousand adolescents and young adults are diagnosed with cancer in the United States every year. The term cancer survivor is broadly used as a descriptor in mainstream society, and academic and oncology literature to reference individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. It was originally used to provide a message of hope, not a label. This study provides an overview of the evolution of the term survivor and explores the often-overlooked perspectives of those who fall into this demographic, many of whom do not accept this identifier. Reasons for rejecting the survivor identity are shared with the intention of highlighting the importance of listening to emerging adults and to contribute to the discourse surrounding cancer survivor
