Cancer Flashcards
Cancer
Malignant neoplastic disease
Benign
Not malignant
Malignant
Tends to spread by invasion or systematically (metastases); threatens health or life
Tumor
A mass of new tissue that grows independent of its surrounding structure. A neoplasm
Metastases
Spread through blood, lymph, and other body fluid
Leukemia
Cancer of the blood characterized by a marked increase in the number of white blood cells
Resection
Surgical removal of all or part
Radical or en bloc=. Remove whole/entire
Unresectable
Surgery was performed as part of initial RX plan, but the malignant tumor was not removed
Tumor is incompletely resected or
Surgical margins are positive
Inoperable
Surgery is of no therapeutic value
Surgery cannot be performed
Neoadjuvant therapy
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both, given before surgery in order to reduce the size of tumor
Adjuvant
Anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy or radiation, given after surgery to eliminate cancer cell and lessen the chances of recurrence
Multimodal therapy
Combination of at least 2 tx modalities
Planned and in close proximity to one another
Examples are surgery, radiation, and/or systemic drug therapy
Adenocarcinoma
A malignant neoplasm that has microscopic cellular arrangement and structure similar to that normally seen in glandular tissue
Adjacent lesions
Neighboring or bordering neoplasms that are not physically connected (breaks off)
Aggressive
Growing, developing or spreading rapidly (grading)
Angiogram
An x-ray diagnostic procedure that fills the blood vessels with x-ray opaque materials in order to photograph abnormalities
Angiosarcoma
A neoplasm made up of tissue resembling embryonic connective tissue, with close packed cells embedded in fibrilar or homogeneous substance and containing an extensive network of fine blood vessels; often highly malignant
Astrocytoma
A primary tumor of the brain composed of star-shaped cells known as astrocytes.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
An epithelial neoplasm microscopically similar to cells of the deep layers of the skin, which seldom metastasize but have potential for local invasion and extension
Biopsy
The removal of tissue or other material from the body for purposes of diagnosis
Cachexia
The weak and emaciated condition observed in cases of advanced malignancy and in other severe diseases
Carcinogen
An agent capable of producing a tumor
Carcinoma
Cancer arising from the parenchymal cells of an organ, the skin, or the mucous membrane
Cervix
The lower portion of the uterus opening into the vagina
Chemotherapy
A form of cancer treatment which uses drugs to destroy malignant cells
Choriocarcinoma
An epithelial neoplasm formed by malignant proliferation of the chorionic villi and including chorioadenoma, choriosarcoma, and syncytioma
Diffuse involvement
Widely distributed throughout the body and involving multiple organs (wide spread)
Distant metastases
Neoplastic spread beyond the regional lymph nodes
Ewing’s carcinoma (tumor)
A type of malignant neoplasm arising in bone
Excise
To cut out, remove by surgery
Extension
The spread of a neoplasm through one tissue or part to or into another adjacent to it (other sites but not metastasis)
Glioblastoma multiforme
An astrocytoma of grade lll and lV that is rapidly growing and usually confined to the cerebral hemisphere
Grading
A method used in determining the aggressiveness of a tumor based on a determination of the number of dividing cancer cells
Gross tissue examination
Nonmicroscopic examination of tissues, describing physical characteristic of size, shape, texture, color, weight, and variation from portion to portion of the specimen and variation from the area from which the specimen was taken