Cellular Regulation, Common Cancers, and General Cancer Treatments

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of cellular regulation, oncology diagnostics, cancer therapies, side effect management, and specific cancer presentations based on lecture notes.

Cancer (Neoplasia)

Uncontrolled, abnormal cell growth and division that can invade surrounding tissues and metastasize to distant organs.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death used by normal cells to regulate growth, which cancer cells can evade.

Oncogenes

Genes that can promote cell growth when activated abnormally.

Tumor-Suppressor Genes

Genes that normally help stop uncontrolled cell growth, whose loss or inactivation can contribute to cancer.

Angiogenesis

The stimulation of new blood-vessel growth by cancer cells to support tumor growth.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer cells to distant organs through the blood or lymphatic systems.

Tumor Markers

Laboratory tests (such as PSA, CA-125, CEA, and CA 19-9) that help monitor certain cancers but generally do not diagnose cancer by themselves.

Biopsy

The definitive diagnostic method for diagnosing most solid tumors.

Staging

Diagnostic evaluation used to assess tumor size, lymph-node involvement, and metastasis.

Chemotherapy

Systemic treatment targeting rapidly dividing cells, with major effects including bone marrow suppression, nausea/vomiting, alopecia, mucositis, fatigue, infertility, and neuropathy.

Radiation Therapy

Therapeutic procedure that damages cancer-cell DNA to treat localized tumors.

Immunotherapy

Treatment that stimulates or modifies the body's immune response to help attack cancer cells.

Targeted Therapy

Cancer treatment designed to act on specific molecular pathways and molecules within cancer cells.

Hormonal Therapy

Treatment that blocks or reduces hormones that promote the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers.

Neutropenia

Low neutrophil count resulting in high infection risk, where fever in a severely neutropenic patient is considered a medical emergency.

Thrombocytopenia

Low platelet count causing an increased bleeding risk, manifested by petechiae and bruising.

ABCDE

A clinical assessment mnemonic used to evaluate suspicious changing skin lesions for melanoma.

Cervical Cancer

Cancer often related to persistent high-risk HPV infection, whose risk is reduced through HPV vaccination and screening.

Leukemia

Hematologic cancer involving abnormal WBC production that leads to infection, anemia, and bleeding.

Lymphoma

Hematologic cancer characterized by painless lymph-node enlargement, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.

Colorectal Cancer

Cancer presenting with changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal discomfort, and iron-deficiency anemia.

Lung Cancer

Cancer presenting with persistent cough, hemoptysis, dyspnea, and weight loss, with smoking identified as a major risk factor.