cystic
Forming large open spaces filled with fluid. Mucinous.
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
Pertaining to large, soft, fleshy tumors
necrotic
Containing dead tissue
polypoid
Growths that are like 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 patters resembling small, sacs
carcinoma in situ
Referring to localized tumor cells that have not invaded adjacent structures.
diffuse
Spreading evenly throughout the affected tissue
dysplastic
Abnormal-appearing cells; not clearly cancerous
epidermoid
Resembling squamous epithelial cells (thin, plate-like)
follicular
Forming small glandular sacs
papillary
forming small, finger-like or nipple-like projections
pleomorphic
Composed of a variety of types of cells
scirrhous
Densely packed tumors, containing dense bands of fibrous tissue
undifferentiated
Lacking microscopic structures typical of normal mature cells.
cauterization
Process of burning tissue to destroy it.
core needle biopsy
Placement of a large-bore needle that extracts a thin core of tissue
cryosurgery
Use of subfreezing temperature to destroy it
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 the 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. More extensive surgical procedure or other forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, then are used to treat the bulk of the tumor.
brachytherapy
Implantation of small, sealed containers or seeds of radioactive material directly into the tumor; or in a cavity of the tumor. An implant may be temporary or permanent.
electron beams
Low-energy beams for treatment of skin or surface tumors.
external beam irradiation
Radiation therapy applied to a tumor from a distant source.
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. Fractionation allows larger total doses to be given while causing less damage to normal tissues.
gray (Gy)
Unit of absorbed radiation dose.
linear accelerator
Large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for the treatment of deep-seated tumors.
photon therapy
Radiation therapy using x-rays or gamma rays. A linear accelerator produces photon beams to treat tumors.
proton therapy
Small subatomic positively charged particles produced by a cyclotron deposit all the absorbed dose at a focused finite point. This reduces the dose affecting normal surrounding tissues by at least 50%
radiocurable tumor
Tumor that can be completely eradicated by radiation therapy. Usually, this is a localized tumor with no evidence of metastasis.
radioresistant tumor
Tumor that requires large doses of radiation to produce death of the cells.
radiosensitive tumor
Tumor in which irradiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue.
radiosensitizers
Drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays.
simulation
Study prior to radiation therapy using CT scan and/or MRI to map treatment
stereotactic radiosurgery
A single large dose of radiation delivered under stereotactic guidance to destroy a vascular abnormality or to treat small intracranial tumors.
adjuvant therapy
Assisting primary treatment
alkylating agents
Synthetic chemicals containing alkyl groups that attack DNA, causing strand breaks
anaplasia
Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell type.
angiogenesis
Process of forming new blood vessels.
antibiotics
chemical substances, produced by bacteria or primitive plants. They inhibit the growth of cells and are used in cancer chemotherapy.
antimetabolites
Chemicals that prevent cell division by inhibiting formation of substances necessary to make DNA; used in cancer chemotherapy
antimitotics
Drugs that block mitosis. Taxol is an antimitotic used to treat breast and ovarian cancers.
apoptosis
Programmed death cell
benign tumor
noncancerous growth
biological response modifiers
Substances produced by normal cells that either directly block tumor growth or stimulate the immune system to fight cancer.
biological therapy
Use of the body's own defenses to destroy tumor cells
carcinogens
Agents that cause cancer; chemicals and drugs, radiation, and viruses.
carcinoma
Cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin.
cellular oncogenes
Pieces of DNA that, when activated by mutations or by dislocation, can cause a normal cell to become malignant.
chemotherapy
Treatment 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.
differentiating agents
Drugs that promote tumor cells to differenctiate, stop growing, and die.
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 encapsulated
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 indication of malignant transformation
gross description of tumors
Visual appearance of tumors to the naked eye; cystic, fungating, inflammatory, madullary, necrotic, polypoid, ulcerating and verrucous tumors.
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
malignant tumor
A tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis.
mesenchymal
Embryonic connective tissue. This is the tissue from which connective tissues arise.
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: alveolar, carcinoma in situ, diffuse, dysplastic, epidermoid, follicular, papillary, pleomorphic, scirrhous, undifferentiated.
mitosis
Replication of cells; a stage in a cell;s life cycle 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 drugs
Anticancer drugs designed to block the function of growth factors, their receptors, and signaling pathways in specific tumor cells
morbidity
Condition of being unwell; deficient in normal function
mucinous
containing mucus
mutation
Change in the genetic material of a cell; may be caused by chemicals, radiation or viruses or may occur spontaneously
neoplasm
New growth; benign or malignant tumor
nucleotide
Unit of DNA composed of 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 or in viruses that cause cancer. Oncogenes are designated by a three-letter name, such as abl, erb, jun, myc, ras and src
palliative
Relieving but not curing symptoms
pedunculated
Possessing a stem or stalk; characteristic of some polypoid tumors
pharmacokinetics
Study of the distribution in and the removal of drugs from the body over time in humans and animals.
protocol
Detailed plan for treatment of an illness
radiation
Energy carried by a stream of particles
relapse
Recurrence of a tumor after treatment
remission
Partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of a 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 (serum)
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.
viral oncogenes
Pieces of DNA from viruses that infect a normal cell and cause it to become malignant
alveol/o
small sac
cac/o
bad
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/o
fungus, mushroom
medull/o
soft, inner part
mucos/o
mucous membrane
mut/a
genetic change
mutagen/o
causing genetic change
necr/o
death
onc/o
tumor
papill/o
nipple-like
pharmac/o
chemical, drug
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
tele-
far
cytogenetic analysis
Chromosomes of normal or tumor cells are examined for breaks, translocations, or deletions of DNA
immunohistochemistry
Localizing antigens or proteins in tissues using labeled antibodies
protein marker tests
Measure the level of proteins in the blood or on the surface of tumor cells
bone marrow biopsy
Aspiration of bone marrow tissue and examination under a microscope for evidence of malignant cells
bone marrow or stem cell transplantation
Bone marrow or stem cells are infused intravenously into a patient
fiberoptic colonoscopy
Visual examination of the colon using a fiberoptic instrument
exfoliative cytology
Cells are scraped from the region of suspected disease and examined under a microscope
laparoscopy
Visual examination of the abdominal cavity using small incisions and a laparoscope. Also known as peritoneoscopy.
mammography
X-ray examination of the breast to detect breast cancer
radionuclide scans
Radioactive substances are injected intravenously, and scans of organs are obtained.