Medical Terms Flashcards
adjuvant chemotherapy
Assisting primary treatment
alkylating agents
Synthetic chemicals containing alkyl groups that attack DNA
anaplasia
Loss of differentiation of cells
angiogenesis
Process of forming new blood vessels
antibiotics
Chemicals produced by bacteria or primitive plants; inhibit growth of cells
antimetabolites
Chemicals that prevent cell division; inhibit formation of substances needed to make DNA
antimitotics
Drugs that block cell division
apoptosis
Programmed cell death
benign tumor
Noncancerous growth (neoplasm)
biological response modifiers
Produced by normal cells; directly block tumor growth or stimulate immune system to fight cancer
biological therapy
Use of the body’s own defenses to destroy tumor cells
brachytherapy
Use of radiation placed directly on or within the cancer
carcinogens
Agents that cause cancer
carcinoma
Cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin
cellular oncogenes
Pieces of DNA, activated by mutations or dislocation, that can cause a normal cell to become malignant
chemotherapy
Treatment with drugs
combination chemotherapy
Use of several chemotherapeutic agents together in treatment of tumors
dedifferentiation
Loss of differentiation of cells
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 differentiate, 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
external beam irradiation
Applying radiation to a tumor from a source outside the body
fields
Dimensions of body areas undergoing irradiation
fractionation
Giving radiation in small, repeated doses
genetic screening
Testing family members to determine if they have inherited a cancer-causing gene
grading tumors
Evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells
gray (gy)
Unit of absorbed radiation dose
gross description of tumors
Visual appearance of tumors to the naked eye
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
linear accelerator
Large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for treatment of deep-seated tumors
malignant tumor
Tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis
mesenchymal
Embryonic connective tissue
metastasis
Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site
microscopic description of tumors
Appearance of tumors when viewed under a microscope
mitosis
Replication of cells
mixed-tissue tumors
Tumors composed of different types of tissue
modality
Method of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or irradiation
molecularly targeted therapy
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 DNA; may be spontaneous or caused by chemicals, radiation, or viruses
neoplasm
New growth; benign or malignant tumors
nucleotide
Unit of DNA composed of a sugar, phosphate, and a base
oncogene
Region of DNA in tumor cells or in viruses that causes cancer
palliative
Relieving, but not curing symptoms
pedunculated
Possessing a stem or stalk
photon therapy
Radiation therapy using energy in the form of x-rays or gamma rays
protocol
Detailed plan for treatment of an illness
proton therapy
Use of protons produced by a cyclotron to deposit a dose of radiation at a tightly focused point in the body
radiation
Energy carried by a stream of particles
radiocurable tumor
Tumor that is destroyed by radiation therapy
radioresistant tumor
Tumor that requires large doses of radiation to be destroyed
radiosensitive tumor
Tumor in which radiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue
radiosensitizers
Drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays
radiotherapy
Treatment of tumors using doses or radiation
relapse
Recurrence of tumor after treatment
remission
Partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of disease
ribonucleis acid (RNA)
Cellular substance that represents a copy of DNA; directs formation of new protein inside cells
sarcoma
Cancerous tumor derived from connective or flesh tissue
serous
Having the appearance of a thin, watery fluid
sessile
Having no stem
simulation
Study using CT scan or MRI to map treatment before RT is g
solid tumor
Tumor composed of a mass of cells
staging of tumors
System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors
stereotactic radiosurgery
Delivery of dose of radiation under stereotactic guidance
steroids
Complex, naturally occurring chemicals derived from cholesterol
surgical procedures to treat cancer
Methods of removing cancerous tissue
viral oncogenes
Pieces of DNA from viruses that infect a normal cell and cause it to become malignant
virus
Infectious agent that reproduces by entering a host cell and using the host’s genetic material to copy itself
