adjuvant chemotherapy
Drugs are given after primary therapy (surgery or radiation). Adi means to assist. Chemotherapeutic
alkylating agents
Chemotherapeutic synthetic drugs that cause crosslinks and breakei DNA to stop cells from dividing.
anaplasia
Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell
antibiotics
Chemotherapeutic drugs found in bacteria and fungi which caused breaks in DNA strands to inhibit cell division
Anti metabolics
Chemotherapeutic agents that block the synthesis of DNA components nucleotides and prevent cells from dividing
Antimitotics
Chemotherapeutic chemicals that block the function of a protein necessary for mitosis
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death
Begin tumor
Non-cancerous growth neoplasm
brachytherapy
Radio therapy that uses insertion of steel containers into the body cavities or radioactive seeds directly into the tumor
Carcinogens
Agents that cause cancer a.k.a. chemicals drugs radiation and viruses
Carcinoma
a malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue
Chemotherapy
treatment of cancer with drugs
Combination chemotherapy
use of several chemotherapeutic agents together for the treatment of tumors
dedifferentiation
loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive, embryonic cell type; anaplasia or undifferentiation
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Genetic material within the nucleus of a cell; controls cell division and protein synthesis
Differentiation
Specialization of cells
Electron beams
low-energy beams of radiation for treatment of skin or surface tumors
Encapsulated
Surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are this
External beam irradiation
radiation is applied to a tumor from a source outside the body
Fields
Dimensions of the area of the body undergoing irradiation
Fractionation
giving radiation in small, repeated doses
Genetic screening
family members are tested to determine whether they have inherited a cancer-causing gene
Grading of tumors
evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells or degree of differentiation
Gray (Gy)
unit of absorbed radiation dose
gross description of tumors
visual appearance of tumors to the naked eye: cystic, fungating, inflammatory, medullary, necrotic, polypoid, ulcerating, or verrucous
Immunotherapy
cancer treatment using immune cells and antibodies to kill tumor cells
Infiltrative
extending beyond normal tissue boundaries into adjacent tissues
Invasive
having the ability to enter and destroy surrounding tissue
Irradiation
exposure to any form of radiant energy such as light, heat, or x-rays
Linear accelerator
large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for treatment of deep-seated tumors
Malignant tumors
Tumors having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasive ness , metastasis
Mesenchymal
embryonic connective tissue
Metastasis
Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site literally beyond control
Microscopic description of tumors
appearance of tumors when viewed under a microscope
Mitosis
Replication of cells; a stage in a cells lifecycle involving the production of two identical cells from a parent cell
Mixed tissue tumors
tumors composed of different types of tissue
Modality
method of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or irradiation
molecularly targeted therapy
use of drugs to attack specific targets (mutations) that drive cancer cell growth
Morbidity
Condition of being unwell or deficient in normal function
Mucinous
Containing mucus (a thick whitish secretion).
Mutation
Change in the genetic material in DNA of a cell; may be caused by chemicals radiation or viruses or may occur spontaneously
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
drugs are given before primary therapy (surgery or radiation) to reduce the size of a tumor
Neoplasm
new growth
Nucleotide
Unit of DNA gene composed of a sugar phosphate and a base; the sequence or arrangement of is a gene in the genetic code
Oncogene
Region of DNA in tumor cells or in viruses that cause cancer
Palliative
relieving or soothing the symptoms of a disease or disorder without effecting a cure
Pedunculated
Possessing a stem or stalk
Proton therapy
Subatomic positively charged particles produced by a she cyclotron deposit a dose of radiation in tightly focus points in the body
Protocol
Detailed plan for treatment of an illness
photon therapy
radiation therapy using energy in the form of x-rays or gamma rays
Radiation
Energy carried by a stream of particles
Radiocurable tumor
tumor that can be completely eradicated by radiation therapy
radio resistant tumor
tumor that requires large doses of radiation to be destroyed but will stand through many
Radio sensitive tumor
tumor in which radiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue
Radiosensitizers
drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays
Radiotherapy
Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation radiation oncology
Relapse
Recurrence of tumor after treatment
Remission
the temporary, partial, or complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease without having achieved a cure
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Seller substance that represents a copy of DNA and directs the formation of new proteins inside cell
Sarcoma
Cancerous tumor derive from connective or flesh tissue
Serous
Having the appearance of a thin watery fluid
Sessile
Having no stem characteristic of some polypoid tumors
Simulation
Study using CT scan or MRI to map the area to receive treatment before radio therapy is given
Solid tumor
tumor composed of a mass of cells
Staging of tumors
System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. An example is the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) system.
Stereotactic radiosurgery
Technique in which a single large dose of radiation is delivered under precise 3D guidance to destroy vascular abnormalities and small brain tumors.
Surgical procedures to treat cancer
methods of removing cancerous tissue: cryosurgery, cauterization, en bloc resection, excisional biopsy, exenteration, fulguration, incisional biopsy
Viral oncogenes
pieces of DNA from viruses that infect a normal cell and cause it to become malignant
Virus
Infectious agent that reproduces by entering a host and using the host genetic material to make copies of itself
Tumors (neoplasms)
new growths that arise from normal tissue; either malignant or benign