Glossary Of Cancer Terms
Facts about Cancer
Here are some of the many terms used in connection with cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, but rather to provide a quick reference for patients and family members.
For more information on cancer as well as numerous other health care topics, please search our Health Information Database.
Glossary
| Alopecia | Loss of hair. |
| Anemia | A low red blood cell count which can result in fatigue and sometimes dizziness or shortness of breath. |
| Benign | An abnormal growth or tumor which is not cancer and does not spread to other areas of the body. |
| Biologic Response Modifiers | A new class of compounds, such as interferon, produced in the body that fight cancer naturally by stimulating the body’s own immune system; also called immunotherapy. |
| Biopsy | The surgical removal of a small piece of tissue for microscopic examination to determine if cancer cells are present. |
| Cancer | A general term for the large group of 100 diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth, invasion and spread of abnormal cells to other parts of the body. |
| Chemotherapy | Systemic treatment of cancer with medicines administered orally or by injection. |
| Clinical Trial | The scientific evaluation of the means to prevent, detect, diagnose, or treat disease in humans. Clinical trials are conducted after experiments in animals have shown evidence of potential effectiveness and preliminary studies in humans suggest usefulness. |
| Hematology | The study of the blood, the parts of the body where blood is formed and blood diseases. |
| Hospice | Program of care for persons whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. The goal is to have the patient live as fully and comfortably as possible, through the control of pain and other symptoms, psychological, social and spiritual support. |
| Integrative Therapies | Integrative Therapies are nontraditional therapies that use the mind-body-spirit connection to assist in healing and symptom management. These therapies have been used successfully by cancer patients, along with traditional medical treatments, for managing symptoms of the disease. |
| Lymphedema | Swelling in a part of the body caused by an accumulation of fluid in the tissues. |
| Malignant | An abnormal growth or tumor which is cancer and could spread to other areas of the body. |
| Metastasis | The spread of cancer cells to distant areas of the body by way of the lymph system or blood stream; the term metastasis refers to these new cancer sites. |
| Monoclonal Antibody | An antibody made to target antigens on cancer cells and eliminate them without harming healthy tissue. |
| Neutropenia | Low white blood cell count which creates high risk for infection. |
| Oncology | The science dealing with the physical, chemical and biologic properties and features of cancer. |
| Palliative Treatment | Therapy that relieves symptoms, such as pain, but does not alter the course of the disease. |
| Pathologist | A doctor who specializes in the study of cells and tissues removed from the body, as well as making a diagnosis based on changes in these cells. |
| Primary Site | The site in the body where the cancer originated. |
| Prognosis | A prediction of the course of the disease. |
| Protocol | A detailed plan doctors follow in treating cancer patients. |
| Radiation/Portal Field | The area of the body designated to receive radiotherapy; usually marked with ink or tattoos. |
| Remission | Complete or partial disappearance of the disease. |
| Side Effects | Problems caused when cancer treatment affects healthy body cells. The most common side effects are hair loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and mouth sores. |
| Staging | An evaluation of the extent of the cancer which provides the basis for making treatment recommendations. |
| Stomatitis | Inflammation and/or sores of the oral mucous membrane (mouth and throat) resulting from chemotherapy or radiation to the head and neck regions; also known as mucositis. |
| Systematic | Pertaining to or affecting the body as a whole. |
| Thrombocytopenia | Low platelet count which creates high risk for bleeding. |
| Tumor | An abnormal lump or mass of tissue. Tumors can be benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). |
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