Ch. 1 Overview of Cancer Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering 28 key cancer terms from Chapter 1 of Washington and Leaver, 6th edition.

Adenocarcinoma

Epithelial cells that are glandular. An example is the tissue lining the stomach. A tumor originating in the cells of this lining is called adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

Anaplastic

Pathologic description of cells, describing a loss of differentiation and more primitive appearance.

Benign

Tumors that are generally well differentiated and do not metastasize or invade surrounding normal tissue. Benign tumors are often encapsulated and slow growing.

Biopsy

Surgical removal of a small tissue sample from a solid tumor to determine the pathology for the diagnosis of disease.

Carcinomas

Tumors that originate from the epithelium and include all tissues that cover a surface or line a cavity.

Cellular differentiation

A stem cell that undergoes mitosis and divides into daughter cells. It is the degree to which a cell resembles its cell of origin in morphology and function.

Clinical staging

Disease staging which is based upon physical exam, pertinent imaging exams, and biopsies.

Epidemiology

Study of disease incidence (helps determine trends in disease) -> Study of defining the distribution and determinants causing disease and injury in human populations.

Etiology

Study of the causes of disease (e.g., carcinogenic agents/risk factors).

False negative

A false-negative reading is when the test indicates no disease when, in fact, the disease is present.

False positive

A false-positive reading indicates disease when in reality none is present.

Grade

Grade of a tumor provides information about its biological aggressiveness and is based on the degree of cell differentiation.

In situ

An early form of cancer (pre-cancerous cells; prior to stage 1 cancerous cells) defined by the absence of invasion.

Malignant

Tumors that are malignant (i.e., cancerous) often invade and destroy normal surrounding tissue and, if left untreated, can cause the death of the host.

Metastasize

Process of tumors spreading to a site in the body distant from the primary site.

Natural history

Normal progression of a tumor without treatment.

Necrosis

Death or disintegration of a cell or tissue caused by disease or injury.

No evidence of disease (NED)

At the time of patient follow-up examination, there is no residual cancer noted.

Oncogenes

Gene that regulates the development and growth of cancerous tissues.

Pathologic staging

Pathologic staging refers to clinical staging with the addition of information from surgical removal or all or part of a tumor.

Posttherapy staging

Posttherapy staging is determined after the first course of treatment (evaluate how the treatment has impacted the cancer).

Radioprotectors

Certain chemicals and drugs that diminish the response of cells to radiation.

Radiosensitizers

Chemicals and drugs that help enhance the lethal effects of radiation.

Restaging

Restaging is performed in the base of cancer recurrence after treatment. Determining patient's new disease stage after patient has undergone treatment and experienced cancer recurrence.

Sarcomas

Malignant tumors that arise from mesenchymal cells (i.e., connective tissue, cartilage, bone).

Somatic cells

Nonreproductive cells.

Therapeutic ratio

Deliver the maximum amount of radiation needed to kill the cancer while sparing normal surrounding tissue.

Tumor staging

Means of defining the tumor size and extension at the time of diagnosis. Tumor staging provides a means of communication about tumors, helps in determining the best treatment, aids in predicting prognosis, and provides a means for continuing research.