Cancer Education

Glossary

Below are some commonly used medical terms which may be heard during cancer diagnosis and treatment. The definitions below are based on information provided in "Cancer Word Book" published by the American Cancer Society, and "What You Really Need to Know About Cancer" by Robert Buckman, MD.

Adenocarcinoma - A relatively common type of cancer that starts inside a gland. There are glands in many parts of the body and cancers within organs typically start in the glands.

Adjuvant Therapy - Treatment given after cancer has been surgically removed to increase the chances that the cancer will not come back.

Anemia – A decrease in the normal number of red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen through the body. This condition can cause shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue.

Antibody - A protein produced by the body and used to fight against invading foreign substances called antigens. Each type of antibody works against a specific antigen.

Benign Tumor - An abnormal growth of cells that is not cancer and does not spread to other parts of the body.

Biopsy - A specimen or piece of tissue taken from a specific area. This procedure if often used to test an area suspected of being cancerous. The removed piece of tissue is analyzed by a doctor called a pathologist to asses whether or not the tissue is actually cancer.

Blood Count - An examination of the blood to determine how many red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are present. Red blood cells carry oxygen through the body, white blood cells help the body fight infection, and platelets help the blood to clot. Some cancer treatments may affect blood counts so doctors keep track of any changes in order to provide treatments if they occur.

Bone Marrow - The soft substance inside bone cavities which produces blood cells.

Carcinogen - A substance which is capable of causing cancer in certain situations. These substances are also known as carcinogenic.

Colonoscopy - A procedure using an instrument like a small flexible telescope which allows a doctor to examine, and even take a small sample of the lining of the colon and rectum. This test may be used as part of a screening procedure to asses the colon and rectum for possible cancerous tissue.

CT or Cat scan (Computerized Tomography or Computerized Axial Tomography) - A type of X-ray that uses an advanced computer system to analyze the X-rays as they pass through the body. This analysis produces much clearer pictures than a standard X-ray machine and allows the doctor to more clearly distinguish between normal and abnormal tissues.

Cyst - a sack-like structure that contains liquid or semisolid material. Cysts are abnormal and my be cancerous or benign.

Diagnosis - The process of identifying a disease.

Digital Rectal Exam - A procedure where a doctor inserts a finger into the rectum to examine this area, and also the prostate area in men, for cancer.

Dosimetry – The measurement of treatment doses.

Electron Beam Treatment – A form of radiotherapy using a special type of rays for which it is easy to control the depth of penetration. Electron beam treatment is most effective for cancers on or near the skin.

Erthropoietin – A medication given to stimulate the production of red blood cells.

GCSF – A medication given to stimulate the production of white blood cells.

Genes - The part of every cell that contains hereditary information.

Hodgkin’s Disease – A specific form of lymphoma (cancer) identified by the presence of a particular type of cancer cell. It affects the lymph and other tissues of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system, the system that helps the body fight infection.

Hormone - A substance produced in the body by glands, that is released into the blood stream and affects other parts of the body.

Linear Accelerator – A type of radiation treatment machine. The radiation delivered from this type of machine is created when rapidly moving electrons are forced to slow down causing them to give off energy in the form of radiation. With this type of machine, radiation is only present in the treatment area when the machine is on.

Local Recurrence - When a cancer returns after treatment to the part of the body where it was originally diagnosed.

Lymphoma – A form of cancer that affects the body’s lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system. It originates primarily in the lymph nodes or the lymph tissue of the stomach, small intestine, or bone.

Malignant Tumor - A cancerous tumor which has the ability to invade surrounding tissue or other parts of the body.

Mammogram - An x-ray of the breast. Commonly used to screen for breast cancer.

Margins - A term used to describe the area of body tissue around a tumor. This area is assessed as part of the process to determine if all of a tumor was removed during surgery.

Markers - Substances produced by various cancers that can be detected in the bloodstream as a way of determining the presence of cancer. For example, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is a marker which may be detected in the bloodstream during the process of diagnosing prostate cancer.

Metastasis - A fragment of the original tumor that has been found in another part of the body. This process is called metastasizing. The metastases will have usually have all or almost all of the characteristics of the original cancer. The cells look similar under a microscope and they will respond similarly to treatments. For example, breast cancer with metastasis to the lung will respond to treatments designed for breast cancer as opposed to treatments specifically designed for lung cancer.

Multiple Myeloma – A form of cancer that affects plasma cells which are special white blood cells that produce antibodies, the agents our bodies use to help fight infection. The disease can cause tumors to grow in bones leading to bone pain and fractures.

Neoadjuvant Treatment – Treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy given before surgical removal of the primary tumor occurs.

Neutropenia – A decrease in the normal number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, which can cause increased susceptibility to infections.

Neutropenic Fever – Fever due to infections that develop after an individual’s white blood cells have decreased.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – A name given to all forms of lymphoma other than Hodgkin’s Disease.

Pap Test - The microscopic examination of a sample of cells removed from the cervix to screen for cervical cancer.

Palliative Care – Treatment that is not intended to be curative, but to relieve or alleviate symptoms.

Prostate - A gland located at the base of the bladder in males.

Prognosis - The prediction of the outcome of an illness or treatment.

Radiation Shielding – The use of a substance to block or absorb radiation so that tissues behind the shield are protected.

Radiation Treatment Planning - The process of verifying and documenting the specific radiotherapy dose that can be delivered to the treatment area. This process allows the physician to determine what dose should be used in order to effectively treat the cancerous cells while limiting damage to healthy cells.

3-D Radiation Treatment Planning – A form of treatment planning, or documenting the specific radiotherapy dose that can be delivered to a treatment area, using 3 dimensional computer generated images allowing more accurate tumor identification.

Remission - The complete or partial disappearance of the symptoms of cancer. It is not necessarily a cure.

Sarcoma – A form of cancer that originates in the supportive tissues of the body such as the bone, cartilage, fat or muscle.

Sigmoidoscopy - A procedure where a doctor examines the lining of the rectum using a thin tube inserted in the anus. This procure may be used as part of a screening for rectal cancer.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the skin – a form of skin cancer that usually appears as red, scaly patches on the face, lips, and tips of the ears, which can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated.

Stereotactic Biopsy – A biopsy procedure using x-rays of the affected area that are taken at different angles from each other. Using these x-rays, the physician can precisely locate the cyst or tumor to be biopsied.

Thrombocytopenia – A decrease in the normal number of platelets, a substance found in the blood that is necessary to help the blood clot. This condition can cause spontaneous bruising and prolonged bleeding after injury.

Thrombopoietin – A medication given to stimulate the production of platelets in the blood.

Transitional Cell Carcinoma – A form of kidney cancer that develops in the lining of the renal pelvis. This type of cancer also occurs in the ureter and the bladder

Tumor - Abnormal tissue that may either be cancerous or benign.

Ultrasound - A test that uses high-frequency waves to produce images of inside the body. A machine sends out ultrasound waves and develops images based on the way the waves are reflected back.