Oncology Glossary

As you already know, the oncology field is filled with specialized terms and acronyms that physicians in other specialties may not know. This section serves as a handy reference for many important oncology terms.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

A

Adenocarcinoma

Cancer that begins in the cells that line certain internal organs. In NSCLC, it is usually found in the tissues of the lung

Adjuvant therapy

Treatment that is given in addition to the primary (initial) treatment. Includes surgery followed by chemo- or radiotherapy to help decrease the risk of the cancer recurring

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs found at the end of the bronchioles

Angiogenesis

The growth of new blood vessels, a process that is critical to the growth and spread of cancer

Anti-angiogenesis

Acting to prevent the growth of new blood vessels

Angiogram

Following an injection of dye, an x-ray is taken of a patient’s arteries and veins to look for blockages, including tumors

Antibodies

Proteins that destroy or weaken foreign substances that invade the body

Anti-emetic

Drug therapy used to prevent nausea and vomiting

Antisense therapy

Drugs designed to inhibit production of cancer-causing proteins from cancerous cells. These drugs function at the genetic level

Apoptosis

A form of cell death in which a programmed sequence of events leads to the elimination of cells without releasing harmful substances into the surrounding area. Apoptosis plays a crucial role in developing and maintaining health by eliminating old cells, unnecessary cells, and unhealthy cells. Apoptosis is also called programmed cell death

Aspiration biopsy

Nonsurgical biopsy employing a needle and syringe to obtain a small sample of cells

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B

B-cell

A type of white blood cell; specifically, a type of lymphocyte. B cells produce antibodies (proteins) necessary to fight off infections

Benign

Not cancerous or malignant. A benign tumor does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body

Biologic therapy

Treatments that use natural body substances (proteins) or drugs made from natural body substances. These therapies can help in the treatment of cancer

Biopsy

The removal of a sample of tissue for purposes of diagnosis after examination under a microscope

Brachytherapy

Radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly in or near the tumor

Bronchi

The two main air passages leading from the trachea in the lungs. The bronchi provide a passage for air to move in and out of the lungs

Bronchiole

One of the smaller subdivisions of the bronchi

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C

Cancer

An abnormal growth of cells that tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize. Cancer is not a single disease, but rather a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases

Cancer vaccines

Drugs that stimulate the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells

Carcinoma

Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs; includes lung cancer, intestinal cancer, and breast cancer

Carcinoma in situ

Earliest stage of cancer, also called noninvasive. Most such cancers can be cured if treated before they become invasive cancers; may regress spontaneously

Cell

Cells form all of the tissues of the body. There are more than 200 different kinds

Central catheter (line) or port

A special type of tube inserted through a small opening into a large central vein in the chest. A permanent central catheter is designed to help people who require frequent infusions of certain medications to avoid repeated injections in the arm

Chemoprevention

Using agents to prevent, limit, or reverse the development of cancer

Chemotherapy

A type of treatment for cancer that is given either by mouth or by infusion into a vein. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells by interfering with the tumor cell’s ability to grow and reproduce. Because chemotherapy drugs travel throughout the whole body, they can also affect normal cells

Clinical trial

A research trial conducted with people and designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new drug, usually in comparison with a standard treatment. If a drug is proven to work well in a clinical trial, it may become a new therapy that can help many people

Colon

Part of large intestine extending from the small intestine to the rectum

Colonoscopy

Insertion of a sigmoidoscope, a tube-like instrument featuring both a light and a camera, into the upper rectum to visually examine the colon

Combination chemotherapy

A regimen containing two or more drugs to treat cancer

Combined modality therapy

A regimen of two or more different types of anticancer treatments (ie, chemotherapy plus hormone therapy)

CT or CAT scan

A computed tomography scan or computed axial scan uses x-rays to make detailed, cross-sectional, three-dimensional pictures of structures inside the body

Cyst

An abnormal, closed, epithelium-lined cavity in the body, containing liquid, semisolid, or solid material

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D

Dedifferentiation

Regression of a specialized cell or tissue to a simpler unspecialized form—often occurs in the process of a cell becoming cancerous

Differentiation

The act or process of a cell becoming specialized or mature. Tumors formed by differentiated cells are generally less aggressive than those formed by nondifferentiated cells

Digital rectal exam

Manual internal examination, via rectum, of the prostate gland to detect cancer

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E

EGFR

Epidermal growth factor receptor; a type of receptor on the surface of tumor cells that plays a key role in tumor growth

Electron therapy

A form of radiation therapy that employs a beam of electrons, primarily used in the treatment of superficial tumors

Eligibility criteria

Criteria for selecting participants in clinical trials, with a focus on disease state, overall health, and other factors

Endoscopy

Examination of the interior of a canal or hollow organ by means of an endoscope, a tube-like instrument featuring both a light and a camera

Epidemiology

The science concerned with the study of the factors determining and influencing the frequency and distribution of disease and other health-related events and their causes in a defined human population

Epithelium/epithelial cells

The cellular covering of internal and external body surfaces, including the lining of vessels and small cavities. The cells making up the epithelium are called epithelial cells

Estrogen

A female sex hormone, produced by the ovaries and elsewhere, that inhibits certain cancers yet promotes others

External radiation

Like a new x-ray; this type of radiation is most often used to treat lung cancer

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F

Fecal occult

Early detection of colorectal cancer includes this test to uncover hidden blood in feces

First-line treatment

Cancer treatment is usually broken down into phases of treatment. First-line treatment refers to the first regimen a patient receives after being diagnosed with cancer

FISH test

A test that measures the amount of a particular gene present in the cells; can be used to determine whether invasive breast cancer has too much HER2 gene, a condition known as HER2-positive breast cancer

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G

Gene

Length of DNA containing genetic information required to produce a protein; also, the biologic unit of heredity, self-reproducing and located at a definite position on a particular chromosome

Gene therapy

Insertion of genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a disease

Genetic testing

Use of laboratory techniques to discover whether a person has increased risk/ predisposition to certain cancers (for example, breast, ovarian, thyroid)

Growth factors

Signals sent out by tumor cells to promote growth of either the tumor itself or the blood vessels that supply it

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H

HER2-positive

Indicates breast cancer cells containing an excessive number of copies of the HER2 gene. HER2-positive breast cancer can be treated with anti-HER2 therapy

Hodgkin’s disease

A type of lymphoma—a cancer that develops in the lymph system, which is part of the body's immune system. Because there is lymph tissue in many parts of the body, Hodgkin’s disease can start in almost any part of the body. The cancer can spread to almost any organ or tissue in the body, including the liver, bone marrow, and spleen

Hormone

A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs

Hormone receptors

Receptors on the cancer cell that react to hormones

Hormone receptor–negative (HR negative)

A term to describe cancer cells with no estrogen receptor negative and/or progesterone receptors; HR-negative breast cancer does not respond to hormone therapy

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I

IHC test (ImmunoHistoChemistry)

A test done on tissue that has been surgically removed from the breast. The test measures the protein made by the HER2 gene on a scale of 0 (none) through 3+. Tumors with a 3+ score are considered HER2-positive

Immune system

The body’s defense against infection and disease

Immune therapy

Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune (defense) system to fight cancer; can be used in combination with other treatment modalities

Induction chemotherapy

Initial treatment of cancer with drug therapy

Interoperative radiation therapy

Employment of radiation therapy during a surgical procedure

Intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)–based chemotherapy

A type of chemotherapy that has been considered a standard of care for metastatic colorectal cancer

Invasive

Cancer that has moved beyond the original site to invade surrounding tissue

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L

Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma

A group of cancers in which the cells are large and look abnormal when viewed under a microscope

Lobes

Sections of the lungs. The right lung has 3 lobes and the left lung has 2

Locally advanced disease

Cancer that has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes

Locally advanced NSCLC

NSCLC that has spread to nearby areas

Local treatment

Therapy targeted specifically at the tumor and surrounding tissue (ie, nonsystemic)

Localized cancer

Cancer contained within its original site

Lumpectomy

Surgical removal of a small tumor, which may or may not be malignant, as well as a sufficient amount of surrounding tissue to result in clear (noncancerous) margins around the affected area

Lymph

An almost colorless fluid that travels through vessels called lymphatics in the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease; formed throughout the body

Lymph nodes

Small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that help fight infection and have a role in fighting cancer

Lymphocyte/lymphoblast

White blood cell used as part of the immune system response to infection and tumors

Lymphoma

General term for tumor of the lymphoid tissue. There are two common types of lymphomas: Hodgkin’s disease (involving certain abnormal white blood cells) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (a disease of malignant lymphocytes)

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M

Malignant

A tumor with the properties of a malignancy can invade and destroy nearby tissue, and may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body

Mammogram

The process of creating an image of the breast via x-ray, ultrasound, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging that is used to screen for and diagnose breast cancer.Generally recommended for all women over the age of 40

Metastasis (metastatic)

The spread of cancer from the primary site or origin to distant sites in the body

Monoclonal antibody

An antibody produced in a lab by making multiple antibody copies (or “clones”) of a single immune cell. In cancer therapy, monoclonal antibodies are used to target specific substances in the body that help cancer cells grow

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

A special radiology technique (not involving exposure to radiation) developed to image internal structures of the body using magnetism. The image and resolution are quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body, particularly in the soft tissue including the brain, spinal cord, and heart

Mutation

Alteration in a gene that can be passed along to offspring. Such mutations may lead to cancer

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N

Neoadjuvant therapy

Presurgical therapy to shrink a tumor; generally chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Neoplasm

A tumor or abnormal growth of tissue that may be benign or malignant

Neutropenia

An insufficient level of the white blood cells known as neutrophils, resulting in a greater risk of infection. Can be a side effect of chemotherapy

Node-positive/node-negative

Terms used to specify whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes; if so, the prognosis may be worse

Nodule

Cluster of cells, limited in size, which may be benign or malignant

Non-squamous NSCLC

A term that has been recently used to refer to lung cancer types other than squamous cell carcinoma (which generally arises in the lining or epithelium of the major airways; also known as the bronchi). Non-squamous lung cancers can be adenocarcinoma (cancer usually found in the outer part of the lung) and/or large cell carcinoma (cancer that can start in any part of the lung)

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O

Off-label drug use

Off-label use refers to the use of an approved treatment for any purpose, or in any manner, other than what is described in the treatment's labeling

Oncogene

A normal gene that, if altered by mutation, may contribute to the growth of a tumor

Oncologist

A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. A clinical oncologist is usually trained in one of the three primary disciplines of oncology:Medical oncology (treatment of cancer with medicine, including chemotherapy),surgical oncology (surgical aspects of cancer including biopsy, staging, and surgical resection of malignancies), or radiation oncology (treatment of cancer with therapeutic radiation). Other oncology specialists include oncology nurses and oncology social workers

Oncology

The field of medicine devoted to cancer

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P

Palliative

Medical or comfort care that reduces the severity of a disease or slows its progress rather than providing a cure

Peripheral stem cell support

A means of replacing blood-forming stem cells that have been destroyed by chemotherapy. Peripheral stem cells are removed from the blood before treatment and replaced after treatment

Pleura

The lining around the lungs that helps protect them and allows them to move during breathing

Polyp

A small clump of cells that can become cancerous, grow, and eventually spread to other parts of the body

Precancerous

Synonymous with malignant, that is, a growth that will most likely become cancerous

Prevention

Primary: minimizing exposure to cancer-causing agents. Secondary: early detection of cancer. Tertiary: treatment of cancer

Primary tumor

The first cancer to form, usually named after the organ in which it develops

Prognosis

The prognosis predicts the expected course of a disease, as well as the probable outcome

Protocol

The plan for a course of medical treatment or for a clinical trial, outlining how the study will be conducted, what kinds of patients will participate, how the treatment will be given, and the means of recording the patient’s outcome

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Q

Quality of life

Assessment of the impact on a patient’s life of the effects of his/her illness or treatment

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R

Radiation

A kind of treatment that uses high doses of x-rays to kill or shrink cancer cells

Radiation therapy

Treatment with high doses of x-rays, designed to kill or damage cancer cells

Recurrence

A cancer that returns after treatment

Recurrent NSCLC

NSCLC that has come back after treatment

Regimen

The combination and schedule of cancer treatments

Regional involvement

Cancer that spreads to nearby organs or lymph nodes

Remission

Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer; may be temporary or permanent

Risk factor

Something—activity, condition, environmental factor—that increases a person's chances of developing cancer

Risk reduction

Reducing the likelihood that a person will develop cancer by reducing the number of risk factors for the disease

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S

Sarcoma

One of a group of tumors usually arising from connective tissue

Screening

Checking for a disease, such as cancer, in people who have no signs of the disease

Secondary tumor

A metastatic tumor, that is, resulting from a cancer that has spread from its original site

Second-line treatment

If cancer progresses after first-line treatment, the treatment regimen may be changed. This new regimen is called the second-line treatment

Side effects

Unwanted changes in the body that occur during treatment

Squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts

Staging

A standardized way to classify the size of the cancer and if and where it has spread

Systemic treatment

Treatment that permeates cells throughout the body by moving via the bloodstream (for example, chemotherapy)

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T

Targeted therapy

A kind of treatment directed at a specific target, which affects the tumor in a different way than chemotherapy. For example, anti-angiogenic therapy targets the signal that causes the tumor blood vessels to grow. Another example of a targeted therapy is an EGFR inhibitor. Targeted therapies have different side effects than chemotherapy

Tissue

A group of cells that provide similar functions Trachea Also known as the windpipe, the trachea serves as the main passage for air into the lungs

Tumor

A lump or mass of tissue, which can be cancerous or noncancerous

Tumor markers

Tumor markers are substances that can be detected in higher-than-normal amounts in the blood of some patients with certain types of cancer; can be used diagnostically or to monitor treatment progress

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U

Unresectable

Unable to surgically remove part or all of an organ or other structure

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V

VEGF

One of the most common and powerful signals that a tumor uses to trigger growth of new blood vessels

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X

X-ray

High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. In low doses, x-rays are used for making images that help diagnose disease, and in high doses, they are used to treat cancer

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