The following are terms that you will find in this book or hear in reference to cancer.
ablation: The removal or destruction of bodily tissue or its functioning ability.
active surveillance: A treatment plan that involves closely monitoring a patient’s condition, but not administering treatment unless test results show the condition is worsening; an approach of “watching and waiting” for symptoms to present themselves or worsen, used in the treatment of certain cancers, such as prostate cancer.
acupuncture: The technique of inserting thin needles through the skin at specific points on the body to control pain and other symptoms; a type of complementary and alternative medicine.
adenocarcinoma: A common form of cancer that begins in the body’s glandular cells, which are those that line certain internal organs and produce substances in the body, such as mucus, digestive juices, or other fluids; adenocarcinoma presents in most cancers of the breast, pancreas, lung, prostate, and colon.
adenoma: A benign tumor of epithelial tissue arising on a gland, and/or in epithelial tissue with glandular characteristics; epithelial tissue covers organs, glands, and other structures within the body.
adenosarcoma: A tumor that is a mixture of an adenoma (a tumor that starts on the epithelial tissue of a gland or in the gland-like cells of epithelial tissue) and a sarcoma, which is a tumor that starts in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.
adjunct therapy: Another treatment used together with the primary treatment in order to assist the primary therapy; for instance, chemotherapy or radiation may be used after surgery to prevent cancer from returning; also called adjunctive therapy.
adjuvant therapy: Additional cancer treatment that is given after the primary treatment to lower the risk that the cancer will come back.
adverse effects: The term for medical problems that occur when cancer treatment affects healthy cells; also called side effects.
antigens: Substances that cause the immune system to make a specific immune response, such as a protein only found on tumor cells.
benign growths: A tumor or abnormal growth in the body that is not cancerous, which usually means it is incapable of spreading elsewhere.
biopsy: A procedure in which a piece of tissue is removed from a person’s body so that it can be examined under a microscope to see if the person has cancer and, if so, what kind and how advanced it is.
bone marrow: The soft, spongy blood tissue found in the center of bones, from which blood cells are formed.
bone marrow transplant: In this procedure, bone marrow is transplanted from one individual to another, or removed from and transplanted to the same individual to replace damaged bone marrow with healthy cells. It is also used to enable an individual to withstand high doses of chemotherapy or radiation.
cancer: The overall name given to more than 100 types of diseases which are characterized by cells that are abnormal, grow, and divide quickly and often form a tumor (mass or lump). Cancer can also spread from its origin to other parts of the body. Certain kinds of cancers can grow in places like the bone marrow, where they don’t form a tumor.
cancer survival rate: This term is used in conjunction with determining a cancer prognosis. It refers to the percentage of people who survive a certain type of cancer for a specific amount of time, usually five years.
cancer survivorship plan: A written document that cancer patients should receive upon finishing treatment that provides a summary of the care given and a detailed plan of ongoing care, including follow-up schedules for visits and testing, as well as recommendations for early detection and management of treatment-related effects and other health problems; may also be called a survivorship plan.
carcinoma: Cancer that starts in the skin or tissues that line or cover the internal organs.
cell: The basic structural, functional, and biological units that make up the human body.
chemotherapy: A form of cancer treatment in which drugs are used to kill cancer cells.
chemoprevention: Natural or manmade substances used to lower cancer risk. Examples include tamoxifen, an estrogen blocker for breast cancer risk, and finasteride to lower prostate cancer risk.
chromosome: A chromosome is a strand of DNA that is encoded with genes, which are the units of heredity. In most cells, humans have 22 pairs of these chromosomes plus the two sex chromosomes (XX in females and XY in males) for a total of 46.
chronic: A disease or condition that persists over a long period of time.
clear margins: Once cancerous tissue or tumor is removed, the area surrounding the removal site is thoroughly checked for remaining cancer cells. If the area is free of cancer, or demonstrates clear margins, this is a good indication that the disease has not spread.
clinical trials: Research studies that are set up using human volunteers to compare new cancer treatments with the standard or usual treatments.
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): CAM is a term used to describe a diverse group of treatments, techniques, and products that are not considered to be conventional or standard medicine. Complementary medicine is used in addition to conventional treatments (an approach that is also called integrative medicine). Alternative therapies are unproven treatments used instead of standard treatments.
computed tomography (CT) scan: Also referred to as a CAT scan, this is a type of X-ray test that produces detailed, cross-sectional images of the body, including the soft tissues.
debulking: This refers to removing as much of a malignant tumor as possible, so that chemotherapy and/or radiation will be more effective. Debulking, or cytoreduction surgery, is often used in the case of brain or ovarian cancer.
DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the molecule that contains each individual’s genetic code, which instructs every cell in the body how to develop, live, and reproduce.
gene: A gene is a single unit of genetic information, stored on twisting strands of DNA in every cell of every living being. Strands of DNA are tightly coiled together around proteins to form chromosomes; these are the basic units of heredity.
genetic testing: The analysis of a person’s DNA to check for genetic mutations, or changes, that could increase the risk of cancer.
hematologist: A doctor who treats diseases of the blood. A hematologist who treats cancers of the blood is called a hematological oncologist.
hormone: A substance, such as a steroid, that is produced by an organ or gland, which courses through the body, affecting other organs or glands. Synthetic hormones can also be produced and used to act like a hormone in the body.
hormone therapy: Treatment that removes, blocks, or adds hormones to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells; also called hormonal therapy or endocrine therapy.
in situ: A Latin term that literally means “in place,” and refers to a cancer that has not spread to nearby tissue; also known as “localized,” or “noninvasive” cancer.
invasive cancer: Cancer that has spread beyond the tissue in which it started and has the potential to spread elsewhere in the body.
late effects: Side effects of cancer treatment that appear months or years after treatment has ended. These may include physical and mental problems, as well as development of secondary cancer.
localized cancer: Cancer that is confined to the area in which it started and has not spread elsewhere in the body; in situ, from the Latin, “in place.”
lymphatic system: The network of small vessels, ducts, and organs that carry a fluid known as “lymph” throughout the body. The lymphatic system is one of the ways by which cancer can spread; part of the circulatory system which returns fluids and proteins back to the blood, also working in conjunction with the immune response to rid the body of debris and bacteria.
lymph nodes: Tiny bean-shaped organs that help fight infection and are part of the lymphatic system.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): This test uses radio waves and small magnets to produce detailed images of the body’s soft tissue.
malignancy: A term that is synonymous with cancer that is capable of invading other tissue and spreading from one part of the body to another. Such a cancer is said to be “malignant.”
mass: A lump or tumor in the body.
medical imaging: Tests and procedures that reveal internal organs and structures of the body that are hidden by the skin and bones. Types include radiography, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET scan) and ultrasound.
medical oncology: This is a subspecialty of internal medicine dealing with the treatment of cancers. Doctors who are medical oncologists are often the main health provider for a cancer patient. A medical oncologist may also consult with other physicians about the patient’s care or refer the patient to other specialists.
metastasis: The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another.
monoclonal antibody therapy: Specialized drugs that use laboratory produced antibodies that attach to specific defects in cancer cells to help fight them.
neoadjuvant therapy: Treatment given before the main treatment, usually surgery. It may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy given prior to surgery to shrink a tumor so it is easier to remove.
oncogene: A gene that can cause cancer by promoting its growth by sending messages to the cancerous cells to grow and to spread.
oncologist: This is the name given to a doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer.
oncology: The study of cancer.
palliative care: Treatment of the physical, spiritual, psychological, and social needs of a person with cancer. Its purpose is to improve the quality of life.
pathologist: A doctor whose specialty is studying changes in tissue and bodily fluids to diagnose disease.
polyp: A growth of normal tissue that sticks out from the lining of an organ. Some polyps can become cancerous, such as colon polyps.
positron emission tomography: Known as a PET scan, this technology is a type of nuclear medicine imaging that uses radiation to produce three-dimensional, color images of the functional processes within the human body.
precancerous: Cells that are not cancer, but could, although not always, turn into cancer. Also called premalignant.
predisposition: A tendency to develop a disease that can be triggered under certain conditions. Although a predisposition to cancer increases a person’s risk of developing cancer, it is not certain that the person will develop it.
primary cancer: This term describes the original cancer. A cancer is generally described and treated in terms of the primary cancer, even if it spreads to other parts of the body.
prognosis: The outlook on the chances of surviving a disease.
radiation oncology: The use of radiation to kill cancer cells. Radiation can be done externally from a machine or performed internally by materials being put in the body near the cancerous tumor.
radiology: The use of radiation to diagnose and treat disease.
remission: The disappearance or reduction of signs of cancer upon testing. (Also termed “no evidence of cancer.”) The remission can be temporary or permanent. Partial remission refers to a greater than 50 percent reduction of tumor mass.
salvage surgery: A second surgery that is performed in the event the first operation does not completely remove all signs of cancer.
screening: A test or procedure performed on an apparently healthy person to look for evidence of disease.
secondary cancer: Either a new primary cancer that develops after treatment for the first type of cancer or a cancer that has spread from the primary site to another part of the body.
side effects: Medical problems caused by cancer treatments or other medicines.
soft tissue sarcoma: A cancer that develops in the connective or supportive tissues of the body, such as the fat cells, muscle, nerves, tendons, the lining of joints, blood vessels, or lymph vessels.
stage: The classification of the extent of the cancer. Each stage of a cancer is usually grouped into a number that ranges from I to IV.
surgery: A medical operation that involves cutting open the body to remove diseased or cancerous tissue. Surgery is the most common treatment for cancer.
surgical oncologist: A specially-trained doctor who performs cancer surgery.
targeted treatment: A form of cancer therapy that takes advantage of the biologic differences between cancer cells and healthy cells by “targeting” faulty genes or proteins that contribute to cancer growth. The treatment blocks the spread of cancer cells without damaging the normal cells, thus leading to fewer side effects.
tissue: A collection of cells that work together to perform a certain job or function in the body. Different parts of the body, such as the skin, lungs, liver, or nerves, are comprised of tissue.
tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. A tumor can be cancerous, or it can be benign, meaning it is not cancerous.
ultrasound: A diagnostic medical imaging technique used to visualize muscles, tendons, and internal organs.