S4 Cancer

cancer

the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body

metastasize

the spread of cancer from one location to other sites in the body

tumor or neoplasm

an abnormal growth of cells that result from uncontrolled cell division

benign tumors

non life-threatening neoplasms that not cancerous and cannot metastasize

malignant tumors

life-threatening neoplasms that grow rapidly, invade other tissues and may metastasize

polyp

benign tumor that projects from an epithelial surface

carcinoma

malignant tumors of epithelial origins

sarcoma

malignant tumors of the supportive tissue

age

the most important risk factor for cancer

Cigarette smoking

causes 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States

Human Papillomavirus

disease that increases the risk of getting cancer of the cervix, penis, vagina, anus, and vulva

hepatitis B and hepatitis C

2 diseases that increase the risk of liver cancer

Epstein-Barr virus

disease that increases the risk for lymphoma and nasopharyngeal cancer

human herpesvirus 8

virus that is found in almost all Kaposi sarcoma tumors

human T-lymphotropic virus 1

disease that has been linked to adult T-cell leukemia

helicobacter pylori

disease that increases the risk for gastric cancer

ultraviolet radiation

main cause of nonmelanoma skin cancers

ionizing radiation

radiation that causes leukemia, thyroid cancer, and breast cancer

oncogene

genes that tell cells when to divide

tumor suppressor

genes that tell cells when not to divide

suicide gene

gene that controls apoptosis and tells the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong

apoptosis

programmed cells death

DNA repair genes

gene that instructs a cell to repair damaged DNA

carcinogens

cancer-causing agents or substances

blood tests

diagnostic tests used to measure the number of blood cells in circulation and the levels of chemicals, enzymes, proteins, and water products that are normally found in blood.

tumor markers

chemicals made by tumor cells that can be detected in the blood

prostate-specific antigen (PSA)

tumor marker for prostate cancer

Cancer antigen 125

tumor markers for ovarian cancer

biopsy

procedure in which a small tissue sample is removed and then viewed under a microscope

tumor staging

process of classifying a tumor based on its size and extent of spreading

TNM staging system

stages tumors based on size of original tumor, whether it has spread to lymph nodes, and where it has spread to other parts of the body

radiation therapy

cancer treatment that uses high-energy rays to damage DNA of cells interfering with cell division and growth; used locally

chemotherapy

systemic treatment that uses medication that target rapidly dividing cells

hormone therapy

treatment that uses medications to suppress hormone synthesis or block the action of hormones

immunotherapy

treatment that stimulates and strengthens the immune system so it can recognize and kill cancer cells

monoclonal antibodies

synthetic antibodies that are designed to bind to a specific antigen on a cancer cell

lipoma

benign tumor arising from fat tissue