You didn't list the dates of Tx or Dx in your signature line so I am going to assume it was near your registration date. He may well have had a "complete response" to treatment but in my opinion it's still premature to state that. If (emphasis on "IF") he is going to have a recurrence than there is an 80% probability of that happening within the first year. The % drops to 15% the second year. These are milestone years, especially year one. Years 3-5 the recurrence rate drops to 5%. Researchers like to use the 5 year mark and the NCCN guidelines recommend annual followups after that point. At 8 years my doctors declared me "cured" and stated I needed no further followup appointments (and that they were optional). I am seeing my docs annually now. PET scans are still not recommended for standard followup by the NCCN, only for diagnostic workup. It would seem like it is protocol because so many have them but it is not in the NCCN Oncology guidelines. An annual MRI is a better scan for followup and one that UCSFCCC recommended for me for several years post Tx. It catches the lower part of the brain and part of the lungs which are common areas for distant metastasis. The gold standard followup exam is still direct visualization with mirrors and/or scope with palpation (problem lymph nodes will feel firm and almond shaped). Bloodwork and an annual chest x-ray are also standard.
We are all "cancer free" one day at a time... Even if premature, it is still good news and reason to celebrate! Congratulations.