Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Medical Terminology > Ch. 19 Oncology Vocab > Flashcards

Ch. 19 Oncology Vocab Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

adjuvant chemotherapy

A

Drugs are given after primary therapy (surgery or radiation). Adjuvant means to assist.

Example sentence: Adjuvant chemotherapy is often used after surgery to prevent cancer recurrence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

alkylating agents

A

Chemotherapeutic synthetic drugs that cause crosslinks and breaks in DNA to stop cells from dividing.

Example sentence: Alkylating agents are commonly used in the treatment of various types of cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

anaplasia

A

Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell type.

Example sentence: Anaplasia is a characteristic feature of aggressive cancer cells.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

antibiotics

A

Chemotherapeutic drugs found in bacteria and fungi, which cause breaks in DNA strands to inhibit cell division.

Example sentence: Antibiotics are used not only to treat infections but also in some cancer treatments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

antimetabolites

A

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

Example sentence: Antimetabolites are commonly used in the treatment of leukemia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

antimitotics

A

Chemotherapeutic chemicals that block the function of a protein necessary for mitosis.

Example sentence: Antimitotics are effective in inhibiting the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

apoptosis

A

Programmed cell death. (Apo- means off, away; -ptosis means to fall.)

Example sentence: Apoptosis plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

benign tumor

A

Noncancerous growth (neoplasm).

Example sentence: Benign tumors are usually not life-threatening and do not invade nearby tissues.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

brachytherapy

A

Radiotherapy that uses insertion of sealed containers into body cavities or radioactive seeds directly into the tumor.

Example sentence: Brachytherapy is commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

carcinogens

A

Agents that cause cancer: chemicals and drugs, radiation, and viruses.

Example sentence: Avoiding exposure to known carcinogens can help reduce the risk of developing cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

carcinoma

A

Cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin.

Example sentence: Carcinomas account for the majority of cancer cases diagnosed worldwide.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

chemotherapy

A

Treatment with drugs.

Example sentence: Chemotherapy is a common treatment option for various types of cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

combination chemotherapy

A

Use of several chemotherapeutic agents together for the treatment of tumors.

Example sentence: Combination chemotherapy is often used to target cancer cells at different stages of the cell cycle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

dedifferentiation

A

Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive, embryonic cell type; anaplasia or undifferentiation.

Example sentence: Dedifferentiation is associated with aggressive cancer behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A

Genetic material within the nucleus of a cell; controls cell division and protein synthesis.

Example sentence: DNA carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all living organisms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

differentiation

A

Specialization of cells.

Example sentence: Cellular differentiation is essential for the proper functioning of tissues and organs in the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

electron beams

A

Low-energy beams of radiation for treatment of skin or surface tumors.

Example sentence: Electron beams are commonly used in radiation therapy for skin cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

encapsulated

A

Surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are encapsulated.

Example sentence: Encapsulated tumors are often easier to remove surgically compared to infiltrating tumors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

external beam irradiation

A

Radiation is applied to a tumor from a source outside the body.

Example sentence: External beam irradiation is a common treatment modality for localized cancers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

fractionation

A

Giving radiation in small, repeated doses.

Example sentence: Fractionation helps minimize damage to healthy tissues during radiation therapy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

genetic screening

A

Patients and family members are tested to determine whether they have inherited a cancer-causing gene.

Example sentence: Genetic screening can help identify individuals at higher risk of developing certain types of cancer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

grading of tumors

A

Evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells or degree of differentiation.

Example sentence: Grading of tumors helps determine the aggressiveness of cancer and guides treatment decisions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What does ‘gray (Gy)’ refer to?

A

Unit of absorbed radiation dose.

This is the unit used to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

gross description of tumors

A

Visual appearance of tumors to the naked eye: cystic, fungating, inflammatory, medullary, necrotic, polyploid, ulcerating, or verrucous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is immunotherapy?

A

Cancer treatment using immune cells and antibodies to kill tumor cells; CAR T cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors are examples

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What does ‘infiltrative’ mean?

A

Extending beyond normal tissue boundaries into adjacent tissues.

This describes the behavior of tumors that invade surrounding tissues.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What does ‘invasive’ refer to?

A

Having the ability to enter and destroy surrounding tissue.

This describes the aggressive nature of tumors that penetrate and damage nearby tissues.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is ‘irradiation’?

A

Exposure to any form of radiant energy such as light, heat, or x-rays.

This refers to the process of exposing tissues to radiation for therapeutic purposes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What is a ‘linear accelerator’?

A

Large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for treatment of deep-seated tumors.

This is a medical device used for delivering radiation therapy to target tumors.

30
Q

What is a ‘malignant tumor’?

A

Tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis.

This refers to cancerous tumors that can spread to other parts of the body.

31
Q

What is ‘mesenchymal’?

A

Embryonic connective tissue (mes = middle, enchym/o = to pour). This is the tissue from which connective tissues (bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and blood cells) arise.

Mesenchymal tissue serves as the origin for various types of connective tissues.

32
Q

What is ‘metastasis’?

A

Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site; literally, beyond control.

Metastasis refers to the movement of cancer cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body.

33
Q

What is the ‘microscopic description of tumors’?

A

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

This describes the visual characteristics of tumors when examined at a cellular level.

34
Q

What is ‘mitosis’?

A

Replication of cells; a stage in a cell’s life cycle involving the production of two identical cells from a parent cell.

Mitosis is the process of cell division where one cell divides into two identical daughter cells.

35
Q

What are ‘mixed-tissue tumors’?

A

Tumors composed of different types of tissue (epithelial as well as connective tissue).

Mixed-tissue tumors contain a combination of various cell types.

36
Q

What is a ‘modality’?

A

Method of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or irradiation.

Modality refers to the specific approach or technique used to treat a medical condition.

37
Q

What is ‘molecularly targeted therapy’?

A

Use of drugs to attack specific targets (mutations) that drive cancer cell growth.

This therapy targets specific molecules involved in cancer cell proliferation.

38
Q

What are ‘monoclonal antibodies’?

A

These are antibodies created in a laboratory by special reproductive techniques. They are designed to attack specific cancer cells directly or to activate T cells (or other effector cells) to kill the tumor.

Monoclonal antibodies are artificially produced proteins that can target and destroy cancer cells.

39
Q

What is ‘morbidity’?

A

Condition of being unwell or deficient in normal function.

Morbidity refers to the state of being diseased or experiencing a decreased level of health.

40
Q

What does ‘mucinous’ mean?

A

Containing mucus (a thick whitish secretion).

Mucinous tumors contain a gelatinous substance called mucus.

41
Q

What is a ‘mutation’?

A

Change in the genetic material (DNA) of a cell; may be caused by chemicals, radiation, or viruses or may occur spontaneously.

Mutations are alterations in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in cell function.

42
Q

What is ‘neoadjuvant chemotherapy’?

A

Drugs are given before primary therapy (surgery or radiation) to reduce the size of a tumor.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is administered prior to the main treatment to shrink the tumor.

43
Q

What is a ‘neoplasm’?

A

New growth; benign or malignant tumor.

Neoplasms refer to abnormal growths that can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).

44
Q

What is a ‘nucleotide’?

A

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.

Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.

45
Q

What is an ‘oncogene’?

A

Region of DNA in tumor cells (cellular oncogene) or in viruses that cause cancer (viral oncogene). Oncogenes are designated by a three-letter name, such as abl, erb, jun, myc, ras, and src.

Oncogenes are genes that can potentially cause cancer when mutated or overexpressed.

46
Q

palliative

A

Relieving but not curing symptoms.

47
Q

pedunculated

A

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

48
Q

photon therapy

A

Radiation therapy using energy in the form of x-rays or gamma rays.

49
Q

protocol

A

Detailed plan for treatment of an illness.

50
Q

proton therapy

A

Subatomic positively charged particles (protons) produced by a cyclotron deposit a dose of radiation at a tightly focused point in the body.

51
Q

radiation

A

Energy carried by a stream of particles.

52
Q

radiation fields

A

Dimensions of the area of the body undergoing irradiation.

53
Q

radiation therapy

A

Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation oncology; radiotherapy.

54
Q

radiocurable tumor

A

Tumor that is completely destroyed by radiation therapy. Early Hodgkin lymphoma is an example.

55
Q

radioresistant tumor

A

Tumor that survives large doses of radiation.

56
Q

radiosensitive tumor

A

Tumor in which radiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue.

57
Q

radiosensitizers

A

Drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays.

58
Q

radiotherapy

A

Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation therapy; radiation oncology.

59
Q

relapse

A

Recurrence of tumor after treatment.

60
Q

remission

A

Partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of disease.

61
Q

ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A

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

62
Q

sarcoma

A

Cancerous tumor derived from connective or flesh tissue.

63
Q

serous

A

Having the appearance of a thin, watery fluid (serum).

64
Q

sessile

A

Having no stem; characteristic of some polypoid tumors.

65
Q

simulation

A

Study using CT scan or MRI to map the area to receive treatment before radiotherapy is given.

66
Q

solid tumor

A

Tumor composed of a mass of cells.

67
Q

staging of tumors

A

System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. An example is the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) system.

68
Q

stereotactic radiosurgery

A

Technique in which a single large dose of radiation is delivered under precise 3D guidance to destroy vascular abnormalities and small brain tumors.

69
Q

surgical procedures to treat cancer

A

Methods of removing cancerous tissue: cryosurgery, cauterization, en bloc resection, excisional biopsy, exenteration, fulguration, incisional biopsy.

70
Q

viral oncogenes

A

Pieces of DNA from viruses that infect a normal cell and cause it to become malignant.

71
Q

virus

A

Infectious agent that reproduces by entering a host cell and using the host’s genetic material to make copies of itself.

Medical Terminology (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions