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Cancer Vocabulary

Key Concepts:

Terms in this set (60)

Cancer
A group of more than 100 different diseases, that can begin almost anywhere in the body, in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue.
Recurrence
When cancer returns to your body after a long period of remission.
Relapse
When you have a recurrence or reappearance of cancer after it has been in remission.
Remission
When cancer has disappeared completely or partially from your body.
Stage O
Development of cancer that is not invading other organs
Stage 1
Development of cancer is limited to tissue or organ of origin
Stage 2
Development of cancer with limited local spreading
Stage 3
Development of cancer with extensive local and regional spreading
Stage 4
Development of cancer that has spread to a distant part of the body
Endoscopy
flexible plastic tube with a tiny camera; used to see cancer cells more clearly.
Diagnostic imaging
x-ray/CAT scan; more precise than a standard x-ray
MRI
A test that uses a powerful magnetic field - very accurate but expensive
Blood tests
Tumor markers can be found in blood
Surgery
Cutting into the body to gain access to remove cells, tissues or organs; most are minimally invasive procedures involving small incisions. 60% of all cancer patients have some kind of this.
Radiation
Use of gamma rays to kill cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
rare, not popular way to kill cancer
Paw paw
extraction of a tree that reduce growth of blood vessels that nourish cancer cells; inhibits growth of more cells
Hydrogen peroxide
provides extra oxygen atoms that stop spread and kill cancer cells
Oleander soup
plant that contains toxic compounds that kill cancer
Cesium chloride
raise cancer cells Ph level to a highly alkaline state
Clinical trial
new drugs being tested on patients
Phase 1 trial
determines safety of new treatment
Phase 2 trial
tests how well the new treatment works
Phase 3 trial
compares new to old treatments
Classifying tumors
how abnormal they are and how quickly they're likely to spread
Oncology
the branch of medicine that specializes in treatment of cancer
Primary tumor
organ/part of body where the tumor originated; breast cancer would be in breast
Acute
Refers to symptoms that start and worsen quickly but do not last over a long time.
Benign
Refers to a tumor that is not cancerous. The tumor does not usually invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Biopsy
The removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis.
Bone marrow
The soft, spongy tissue found in the center of large bones where blood cells are formed.
Carcinoma
Cancer that starts in skin or tissues that line the inside or cover the outside of internal organs.
Cells
The basic units that make up the tissues and organs of the human body.
Chemoprevention
The use of natural, synthetic (made in a laboratory), or biologic (from a living source) substances to reverse, slow down, or prevent the development of cancer.
Chemotherapy
The use of drugs or chemicals put into the body to kill cancer cells.
Chronic
Refers to a disease or condition that persists, often slowly, over a long time.
Imaging test
A procedure that creates pictures of internal body parts, tissues, or organs to make a diagnosis, plan treatment, find out whether treatment is working, or observe a disease over time.
In situ
In place. Refers to cancer that has not spread to nearby tissue, also called non-invasive cancer.
Invasive cancer
Cancer that has spread outside the layer of tissue in which it started and has the potential to grow into other tissues or parts of the body, also called infiltrating cancer.
Laboratory test
A procedure that evaluates a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body to make a diagnosis, plan treatment, check whether treatment is working, or observe a disease over time.
Leukemia
A cancer of the blood or blood forming organs. Leukemia begins when normal white blood cells change and grow uncontrollably.
Localized cancer
Cancer that is confined to the area where it started and has not spread to other parts of the body.
Lymph nodes
Tiny, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. Part of the lymphatic system.
Lymphatic system
A network of small vessels, ducts, and organs that carry fluid to and from the bloodstream and body tissues. Through the lymphatic system, cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Lymphoma
A cancer of the lymphatic system. Lymphoma begins when cells in the lymph system change and grow uncontrollably. Sometimes a tumor is formed.
Malignant tumor
Refers to a tumor that is cancerous. It may invade nearby healthy tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Mass
A lump in the body.
Metastasis
The spread of cancer from the place where the cancer began to another part of the body. Cancer cells can break away from the primary tumor and travel through the blood or the lymphatic system to the lymph nodes, brain, lungs, bones, liver, or other organs.
Oncologist
A doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer. The five main types of oncologists are medical, surgical, radiation, gynecologic, and pediatric oncologists. Learn more about the types of oncologists.
Pathologist
A doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease.
Polyp
A growth of normal tissue that usually sticks out from the lining of an organ, such as the colon.
Precancerous
Refers to cells that have the potential to become cancerous. Also called pre-malignant.
Predisposition
A tendency to develop a disease that can be triggered under certain conditions. For example, although a genetic predisposition to cancer increases a person's risk of developing cancer, it is not certain that the person will develop it.
Primary cancer
Describes the original cancer.
Prognosis
Chance of recovery; a prediction of the outcome of a disease or chance of survival in 5 years.
Sarcoma
A cancer that develops in the tissues that support and connect the body, such as fat and muscle. Learn more about sarcoma.
Screening
The process of checking whether a person has a disease or has an increased chance of developing a disease when the person has no symptoms.
Secondary cancer
Describes either a new primary cancer (a different type of cancer) that develops after treatment for the first type of cancer, or cancer that has spread to other parts of the body from the place where it started (see metastasis, above).
Stage
A way of describing cancer, such as where it is located, whether or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting the functions of other organs in the body.
Tumor
A mass formed when normal cells begin to change and grow uncontrollably. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning it can spread to other parts of the body). Also called a nodule or mass.
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