Language of Medicine chapter 19

cystic

forming large open spaces filled with fluid

fungating

mushrooming pattern of growth in which tumor cells pile one on top of another and project from a tissue surface

inflammatory

having the features of inflammation- that is, redness, swelling, and heat

medullary

large, soft, fleshy tumors

necrotic

containing dead tissue

polypoid

growths that form projections extending outward from a base

ulcerating

characterized by an open, exposed surface resulting from the death of overlying tissue

verrucous

resembling a wart-like growth

alveolar

tumor cells form patterns resembling small sacs; commonly found in tumors of muscle, bone, fat, and cartilage.

carcinoma in situ

referring to localized tumor cells that have no invaded adjacent structures

diffuse

spreading evenly throughout the affected tissue

dysplastic

containing abnormal-appearing cells that are not clearly cancerous.

epidermoid

resembling squamous epithelial cells (thin, plate-like); often occurring in the respiratory tract

follicular

forming a small glandular sacs

papillary

forming small, finger-like or nipple-like projections of cells

pleomorphic

composed of a variety of types of cells

scirrhous

densely packed tumors, due to dense bands of fibrous tissue

undifferentiated

lacking microscopic structures typical of normal mature cells

classify tumors

microscopic appearance (grade) and extent of spread (stage)

cauterization

destruction of tissue by burning

core needle biopsy

placement of a large-bore needle that extracts a thin core of tissue

cryosurgery

use of subfreezing temperature to destroy tissue

en bloc resection

tumor is removed along with a large area of surrounding tissue containing lymph nodes

excisional biopsy

removal of tumor and a margin of normal tissue

exenteration

wide resection involving removal of teh tumor, its organ of origin, and all surrounding tissue in the body space

fine needle aspiration

placement of a very thin needle inside the tumor mass and extracting cells for microscopic evaluation

fulguration

destruction of tissue by electric sparks generated by a high-frequency current

incisional biopsy

piece of tumor is removed for examination to establish a diagnosis

brachytherapy

implantation of small, sealed containers or seeds of radioactive material directly into the tumor or in a cavity of the tumor

electron beams

low energy beams for treatment of skin or surface tumors

external beam irradiation (teletherapy)

radiation therapy applied to a tumor from a distant source (linear accelerator)

fields

dimensions of the size of radiation area used to treat a tumor from a specific angle

fractionation

a method of dividing radiation into small, repeated doses rather than fewer large doses. Allows larger total doses to be given while causing less damage to normal tissue.

gray (Gy)

unit of absorbed radiation dose. The unit in use was rad (100 rad equal 1 Gy)

linear accelerator

large electronic device that produces high energy x-ray beams for the treatment of deep-seated tumors. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is direct application of radiation during surgery using a linear accelerator in the OR

photon therapy

radiation therapy using x-rays or gamma rays proton therapy

proton therapy

small subatomic positively charged particles produced by a cyclotron deposit all the energy at a focused finite point. Reduces the dose affecting normal surrounding tissues by at least 50%

radiocurable tumor

tumor that can be completely eradicated by radiation therapy. Usually is localized tumor with no evidence of metastasis. Ex: lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, and seminomas of the testes

radioresistant tumor

tumor that requires large doses of radiation to produce death of the cells. Melanoma and renal carcinoma are examples

radiosensitive tumor

tumor in which irradiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue. ex: hematopoietic and lymphatic tumors

radiosensitizers

drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays. Many chemotherapy drugs sensitize tumors and normal tissue to radiation, improving the outcome of treatment

simulation

an imaging study performed before radiation therapy using CT scan or MRI to map the area to receive treatment. Required for all patients undergoing radiotherapy.

stereotactic radiosurgery

single large dose of radiation is delivered under precise 3D guidance (stereotactic) from multiple angles to destroy vascular abnormalities and small brain tumors

alkylating agents

these drugs cause crosslinks and breaks in DNA that interfere with cell division

antibiotics

these drugs are produced by bacteria or fungi and inhibit cell division by causing breaks in DNA strands

antimitotics

these chemicals block the function of a protein that is necessary for mitosis. Come from bacteria, fungi, or plants or animals found on coral reefs

hormonal agents

these drugs block hormone receptors on cells so that growth is inhibited

adjuvant chemotherapy

drugs are given after primary therapy (surgery or radiation)

anaplasia

loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell type

antimetabolites

chemotherapeutic agents that block the synthesis of DNA components (nucleotides) and prevent cells from dividing

apoptosis

programmed cell death. Normal cells undergo apoptosis when damaged or aging. Some cancer cells have lost the ability to undergo apoptosis, and they live forever.

benign tumor

noncancerous growth (neoplasm)

carcinogens

agents that cause cancer; chemicals, drugs, radiation, and viruses

carcinoma

cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin

chemotherapy

treatment with drugs

combination chemotherapy

use of several chemotherapeutic agents together for the treatment of tumors

dedifferentiation

loss of differentiation of cells; reversion of a more primitive, embryonic cells type; anaplasia or undifferentiation

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

genetic material within the nucleus of a cell; control cell division and protein synthesis

differentiation

specialization of cells

encapsulated

surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are encapsulated

external beam irradiation

radiation is applied to a tumor from a source outside the body

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, x-rays

malignant tumor

tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis

mesenchymal

embryonic connective tissue. This is the tissue from which connective tissue arise

microscopic description of tumors

appearance of tumors when viewed under a microscope: alveolar, carcinoma in situ, diffuse, dysplastic, epidermoid, follicular, papillary, pleomorphic, scirrhous, or undifferentiated

mitosis

replication of cells; a stage in a cell's life cycle involving the production of 2 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 funciton

mucinous

containing mucus (a thick whitish secretion)

mutation

change in the genetic material (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; benign or malignant tumor

nucleotide

unit of DNA (gene) composed of a sugar, phosphate, and a base. The sequence or arrangement of nucleotides on a gene is the genetic code

oncogene

region of DNA in tumor cells (cellular oncogene) or in viruses that cause cancer (viral oncogene). Oncogenes are designated by a 3 letter name.

palliative

relieving but not curing symptoms

pedunculated

possessing a stem or stalk (peduncle); characteristic of some polypoid tumors

protocol

detailed plan for treatment of an illness

radiation

energy carried by a stream of particles

radiotherapy

treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation oncology

relapse

recurrence of tumor after treatment

remission

partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of disease

ribonucleic acid (RNA)

cellular substance that represents a copy of DNA and directs the formation of new protein inside cells

sarcoma

cancerous tumor derived from connective or flesh tissue

serous

having the appearance of a thin, watery fluid

sessile

having no stem; characteristic of some polypoid tumors

solid tumor

tumor composed of a mass of cells

staging of tumors

system of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. ex: TNM (tumor-node-metastasis)

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 of cell and using the host's genetic material to make copies of itself

alveol/o

small sac

cac/o

bad

-hexia

state or condition

carcin/o

cancer, cancerous

cauter/o

burn, heat

chem/o

chemical, drug

cry/o

cold

cyst/o

sac of fluid

fibr/o

fibers

follicul/o

small glandular sacs

fung/i

fungus, mushroom

medull/o

soft, inner part

mucos/o

mucous membrane

mut/a

genetic change

mutagen/o

causing genetic change

necr/o

death

neur/o

nerve

onc/o

tumor

papill/o

nipple-like

plas/o

formation

ple/o

many, more

polyp/o

polyp

prot/o

first

radi/o

rays

sarc/o

flesh, connective tissue

scirrh/o

hard

xer/o

dry

-blastoma

immature tumor

-genesis

formation

-oma

mass, tumor

-plasia

formation, growth

-plasm

formation, growth

-suppression

to stop

-therapy

treatment

ana-

backward

apo-

off, away

brachy-

short (distance)

epi-

upon

meta-

beyond, change

neo-

new

tele-

far