CANCER
GLOSSARY
Acute lymphocytic leukemia: type of blood cancer that originates in lymphatic
cells of the bone marrow.
Acute myelogenous leukemia: type of blood cancer that involves accumulation of
myeloid cells in the bone marrow and bloodstream.
Adenocarcinoma: cancer that begins in cells that line certain
internal organs.
Adenoma:
noncancerous tumor
Angiosarcoma:
type of cancer that begins in the lining of blood vessels.
Asymptomatic:
presenting no signs or symptoms of disease.
Benign: Not
cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Biopsy:
removal of a sample of tissue, which is then examined under a microscope to
check for cancer cells.
Bone marrow:
soft, spongy tissue in the center of large bones that produces white blood
cells, red blood cells and platelets.
Bone marrow aspiration: removal of a small sample of bone marrow (usually
from the hip) through a needle for examination under a microscope to see
whether cancer cells are present.
Bone marrow transplant: procedure in which doctors replace marrow destroyed
by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation. The replacement marrow may be taken from the
patient before treatment or may be donated by another person.
BRCA1: gene located on chromosome 17 that normally helps
restrains cell growth. Inheriting an
altered version of BRCA1 predisposes an individual to breast, ovarian, or
prostate cancer.
BRCA2: gene located on chromosome 13 that scientist believe
may account for 30-40 % of all inherited breast cancer.
Cancer: term
for a group of more that 100 diseases in which
abnormal cells divide without control.
Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the blood
stream and lymphocytic system to other parts of the body.
Carcinogen:
any substance that is known to cause cancer.
Carcinogenesis:
process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells.
Carcinoma:
Cancer that begins in the lining of covering of an organ.
Cell cycle: sequence of events by which cells enlarge and
divide. Include stages typically named
G1, S, G2, M.
Chemotherapy:
treatment with anticancer drugs.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: type of blood cancer that involves the
overproduction of mature lymphocytes.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia: type of blood cancer that involves accumulation of
granulocytes (a type of white blood cells) in the bone marrow and bloodstream.
Clinical trial:
research study that involves patients.
Each study is designed to find better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose,
or treat cancer and to answer scientific questions.
Computed tomography: X-ray procedure that uses a
computer to produce a detailed picture of a cross section of the body; also
called a CT or CAT scan.
Cytotoxic:
poisonous to cells. In chemotherapy, used
to describe an agent that is poisonous to cancer cells.
Diagnosis:
process of identifying a disease by signs and symptoms.
Dysplasia:
abnormal cells that are not cancer.
Encapsulated:
confined to a specific area. An encapsulated tumor remains in a compact form.
Endometrial:
having to do with the mucous membranes that line the cavity of the uterus.
Environmental tobacco smoke: second-hand smoke.
Epidemiology:
study of the factors that affect the prevalence, distribution and control of
disease.
Epidermis:
upper/outer layer of the skin.
Epstein-Barr virus: virus that has been associated with the development of mononucleosis
and Burkitt lymphoma.
Estrogen. Female hormone produced by the ovary.
Etiology:
study of the causes of an abnormal condition or disease.
Fibroid:
benign uterine tumor made up of fibrous or muscular tissue.
Gene therapy:
treatment that alters the genes.
Genetic:
inherited.
Grade:
describes how closely a cancer resembles normal tissue of its same type, along
with the cancer’s probable rate of growth.
Herpes virus:
a family of viruses, one of which causes genital sores
and is sexually transmitted.
Hormonal therapy: treatment of cancer by removing, blocking, or adding hormones.
Human papillomaviruses (HPV): viruses that generally cause warts. Some papillomaviruses
are sexually transmitted. Some of the
sexually transmitted ones are thought to be the cause of uterine or cervical
cancer.
Hyperplasia: precancerous condition in which there is an
increase in the number of normal cells lining an organ.
Immunotherapy:
treatment that uses the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer.
Incidence:
number of new cases of a disease diagnosed each year.
In situ cancer:
cancer that has remained within the tissue in which it originated.
Invasive cancer: cancer that has spread beyond the layer of tissue in which it
developed.
Lesion:
areas of abnormal tissue change.
Leukemia:
cancer of the blood cells.
Malignant: cancerous.
Melanoma:
cancer of the skin cells that produce pigment.
Metastasis:
cancer growth that is separate for the site at which the original cancer
developed. Cancer has spread to a new
tissue site.
Mutagen: any
substance that is known to cause mutations.
Mutation:
change in the way cells function or develop.
Necrosis:
cell death
Oncogene:
gene that normally directs cell growth but also can promote or allow the
uncontrolled growth of cancer if damaged(mutated).
Oncologist:
doctor who specializes in treating cancer.
Oncology:
study of tumors.
Progesterone:
female hormone produced by the ovaries and placenta; responsible for preparing
the uterine lining for implantation of an early embryo.
Prognosis:
probable outcome or course of a disease; the chance of recovery.
Prophylactic:
treatment administered or taken to prevent disease.
Proto-oncogene: gene that, when converted to an oncogene by
mutation, can cause a normal cell to become malignant. Normal oncogenes function to control normal
cell growth.
Radiation therapy: treatment with high-energy rays (such as X-rays) to kill cancer
cells.
Remission:
disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer. May be temporary or
permanent.
Retinoblastoma:
eye cancer caused by the loss of both copies of the tumor suppressor gene RB.
Retrovirus: small RNA virus that has an RNA genome. Acts as a template for the
production of the DNA that is integrated into the DNA of the host cell. Many retroviruses are believed to be
oncogenic.( capacity to cause cancer).
Sarcoma: malignant tumor that begins in connective
tissue.
Side effect; problems that occur when treatment affects healthy cells. Common side effects of cancer treatment are
fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and mouth
sores.
Somatic cell:
any body cell except the reproductive cells (egg and sperm)
SPF(sun protection factor): scale for rating sunscreens.
Squamous cell cancer: type of skin cancer that
arises from the squamous cells.
Stage:
extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spread from the original
site to other body parts.
Stem cells:
cells from which all blood cells develop.
Telomere:
end of a chromosome. Each telomere
consists of thousands of copies of the same DNA sequence, repeated again and
again. Telomeres become shorter each
time a cell divides; when one or more telomeres reaches
a minimum length, cell division stops.
This mechanism limits the number of times a cell can divide.
Telomerase:
enzyme that is present and active in cells, so that they can divide without apparent limit.
Telomerase replaces the missing repeated sequences of each telomere.
Testosterone:
male sex hormone.
Tumor:
abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division. Tumors
perform no useful function. They can be
benign or malignant.
Tumor suppressor gene: gene in the
body that can suppress or block the development of cancer.