Rezidiven

Rezidiven is the plural form of the German noun Rezidiv and is used in medical and criminological literature to denote a recurrence or relapse after an initial episode or after treatment. The term derives from Latin rezidivus, meaning returning or arising again. In everyday medical German, Rezidiv is more commonly encountered in its singular form, while Rezidiven appears in discussions that describe multiple recurrent events or emphasize the concept of recurrence in aggregate.

In medicine, Rezidiv describes the return of a disease after a period of improvement or remission. In oncology, a Rezidiv may be local, regional, or distant, indicating that a tumor has reappeared after initial therapy. Recurrences influence prognosis and guide subsequent treatment decisions, including salvage surgery, systemic therapy, or radiotherapy. The concept also applies to infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions, and other chronic illnesses where symptoms or findings reappear after an apparent cure or control.

In criminology and related policy literature, the term Rezidiv is sometimes used to refer to recidivism—the tendency of a convicted offender to reoffend after a prior sentence. Measurements commonly involve rates of rearrest, reconviction, or reimprisonment within a specified time frame. Recidivism is influenced by personal, social, and systemic factors and is a central metric in evaluating rehabilitation programs, sentencing policies, and public safety outcomes.

Overall, Rezidiven highlights the recurrent nature of certain conditions or behaviors and underscores the importance of monitoring, prevention, and ongoing management to reduce future recurrences. See also relapse, tumor recurrence, and recidivism.