Cancer Flashcards
Benign
not cancer
Cancer
abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells of any organ of the body
Tumour
an abnormal mass of tissue - can be benign or malignant
Metastasis
the spread of cancer from one part of the body to another
Primary site
the place where a cancer starts growing
Stage
the extent of a cancer in the body based on the size of the tumour and whether is has spread
stage 1 = early stage
stage 4 = most advanced stage
Grade
how abnormal the cancer cells look under the microscope and how quickly the tumour is likely to grow and spread
(high grade tumours tend to be more aggressive that low grade tumours)
Why do cancer cells light up on a PET scan?
they metabolise glucose differently to normal cells
What type of scan is used to see if cancer has spread to other parts of the body?
PET scans
Chemotherapy
treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells
Radiation
treatment from x-rays and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours
Hormonal therapy
treatment that blocks, removes or adds hormones to slow or stop the growth of certain cancers (e.g: Tamoxifen, Lupron)
Melanoma
a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (which produce melanin pigment)
Lymphoma
a cancer that begins in cells of the lymph system
(two main types: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL))
Myeloma
abnormal plasma cells that build up in the bone marrow and form tumours in many bones of the body
