Cancer Vocab

Question 1

Malignant Tumor

Answer 1

• A tumor that is capable of spreading to surrounding tissues and organs and will cause disease.

Question 2

Benign Tumor

Answer 2

• A tumor that is localized to a specific area of the body and is not harmful

Question 3

Metastasis

Answer 3

• The spread of malignant tumor cells from the site of the primary tumor through blood/lymph vessels.

Question 4

Primary cancer

Answer 4

• The original organ in which a cancer is identified

Question 5

Secondary cancer

Answer 5

• Other organs in which a cancer forms after it has undergone metastasis.

Question 6

Recurrence

Answer 6

• The return of cancer in either the primary organ or secondary organs.

Question 7

Carcinogen

Answer 7

• An agent that is responsible for, or associated with cancer.

Question 8

Leukemia

Answer 8

• A cancer of cells of the immune system.

Question 9

Mutagen

Answer 9

• Any chemical or agent that is capable of mutating DNA sequence.

Question 10

Proto-oncogene

Answer 10

• A gene that serves a normal function in a cell, and when mutated, will become an oncogene an promote cancer in cells.

Question 11

Incidence rate

Answer 11

• The number of people who develop the disease per 100,000 people in the population.

Question 12

Risk factor

Answer 12

• Any agent that increases the chance that someone will develop a disease