Oncology Lecture Review

A set of 100 English vocabulary flashcards covering cancer risk factors, subtypes, symptoms, pathology, diagnostics, and treatments from the lecture notes.

Environmental risk factors

Modifiable or non-modifiable exposures such as smoking, asbestos, or radon that increase cancer likelihood.

Smoking

Primary environmental risk factor linked to lung and many other cancers.

Secondhand smoke

Inhaled smoke from other people’s cigarettes that still raises lung-cancer risk.

Asbestos

Industrial fiber whose inhalation is associated with lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Radon gas

Radioactive gas seeping from soil; indoor accumulation elevates lung-cancer risk.

Air pollution

Particulate and gaseous pollutants that contribute to respiratory cancers.

Occupational exposure

Contact with workplace carcinogens (e.g., chemicals, dust) leading to cancer risk.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Group of lung cancers including adenocarcinoma, squamous, and large-cell types.

Adenocarcinoma

NSCLC subtype arising from mucus-secreting glands; common in non-smokers.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

NSCLC subtype originating in bronchi; strongly associated with smoking.

Large Cell Carcinoma

Fast-growing NSCLC variant that can appear anywhere in the lung.

Colon cancer risk factors

Elements like family history, IBD, high-fat diet, inactivity, smoking, alcohol.

Family history (colon cancer)

Genetic predisposition increasing colorectal cancer risk among relatives.

Inflammatory bowel disease

Chronic intestinal inflammation (e.g., ulcerative colitis) raising colon-cancer risk.

Low-fiber/high-fat diet

Eating pattern correlated with increased colorectal malignancy incidence.

Sedentary lifestyle

Physical inactivity contributing to cancer development, especially colorectal.

Alcohol use

Regular consumption that elevates colorectal and other cancer risks.

Precancerous adenomatous polyps

Benign colon growths capable of malignant transformation if not removed.

Gastrointestinal bleeding complications

Consequences such as anemia, hypovolemia, or shock from blood loss.

Anemia

Reduced red-cell mass causing fatigue and pallor; may follow GI bleeding or leukemia.

Hypovolemia

Decreased circulating blood volume leading to low blood pressure.

Shock

Critical circulatory failure that may follow severe GI hemorrhage.

Change in bowel habits

Alterations like diarrhea or constipation that can indicate colon cancer.

Diarrhea

Frequent loose stools; a possible symptom of colorectal disease.

Constipation

Infrequent hard stools; may signal obstructing colon lesion.

Hematochezia

Bright-red blood per rectum indicating lower-GI bleeding.

Melena

Black, tarry stool reflecting upper or slow lower GI bleeding.

Tenesmus

Painful, ineffective urge to defecate; felt with rectal tumors.

Metastatic colon cancer symptoms

Liver enlargement, jaundice, ascites, weight loss, abdominal pain.

Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly)

Increase in liver size often from colorectal metastases.

Jaundice

Yellow skin/eyes due to bilirubin buildup from liver involvement.

Ascites

Fluid accumulation in peritoneal cavity, common in liver metastasis.

Weight loss

Unintentional loss of body mass seen in advanced cancers.

Abdominal pain

Discomfort in abdomen, possible in metastatic colon cancer.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)

Highly aggressive primary brain tumor, a grade-IV astrocytoma.

Astrocytoma

Tumor arising from astrocyte glial cells; GBM is its most malignant form.

Morning headaches

Early-day pain caused by increased intracranial pressure from brain tumors.

Seizures

Electrical brain disturbances often presenting in primary brain cancers.

Nausea

Stomach discomfort with urge to vomit; due to intracranial pressure.

Vomiting

Forceful expulsion of gastric contents; common brain-tumor symptom.

Vision changes

Blurred or double vision linked to tumor pressure on optic pathways.

Speech changes

Aphasia or dysarthria occurring with tumors in language centers.

Personality changes

Behavioral alterations from frontal-lobe involvement in brain cancer.

Cognitive changes

Impaired memory or concentration related to intracranial neoplasms.

Leukemia pathophysiology

Uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal white cells crowding bone marrow.

Blast cells

Immature precursor blood cells elevated in acute leukemia.

High WBC count

Laboratory hallmark of leukemia with many immature forms.

Bone marrow dysfunction

Failure to produce normal blood lines because leukemic cells occupy space.

Anemia in leukemia

Low red-cell production causing pallor and fatigue.

Infection risk

Susceptibility to microbes due to dysfunctional leukemic WBCs.

Bleeding tendency

Easy bruising or hemorrhage from platelet suppression in leukemia.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Most common adult leukemia characterized by mature-appearing B cells.

Splenomegaly

Enlarged spleen often resulting from leukemic cell accumulation.

Hypersplenism

Overactive spleen causing cytopenias by excessive cell sequestration.

Splenic infarction

Tissue death in spleen due to vascular occlusion in leukemia/lymphoma.

Splenic rupture

Life-threatening tearing of splenic capsule, possible with massive enlargement.

Leukemia fatigue

Debilitating tiredness from anemia and high metabolic demand.

Frequent infections

Recurrent illnesses caused by inadequate functional leukocytes.

Fever

Elevated body temperature often accompanying leukemic or lymphomatous disease.

Easy bruising

Minor trauma causing ecchymoses because of thrombocytopenia.

Swollen lymph nodes

Lymphadenopathy from leukemic infiltration or lymphoma.

Bone marrow biopsy

Diagnostic procedure extracting marrow to identify blast population.

Posterior iliac crest

Preferred anatomical site for routine marrow aspiration/biopsy.

Hodgkin lymphoma

B-cell malignancy featuring Reed-Sternberg cells and orderly spread.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Diverse lymphoid cancers lacking Reed-Sternberg cells with unpredictable spread.

Reed-Sternberg cell

Binucleated giant cell pathognomonic of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Lymphocyte malignancy

Cancer arising from B or T cells, as in lymphoma.

B-cell origin

Describes most lymphomas, derived from B-lymphocytes.

Painless lymphadenopathy

Non-tender enlarged nodes typical in lymphoma presentation.

Night sweats

Drenching perspiration at night, a ‘B symptom’ in lymphoma.

Predictable spread

Orderly node-to-node progression seen in Hodgkin disease.

Unpredictable spread

Random dissemination pattern seen in many Non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Weakened immune system

Immunodeficiency state that predisposes to lymphoma.

HIV/AIDS

Viral infection significantly increasing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk.

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)

Herpesvirus linked to Hodgkin’s and certain NHL subtypes.

Chemical exposure

Contact with pesticides or solvents elevating lymphoma chance.

Cervical lymph nodes

Neck nodes frequently enlarged in lymphoma.

Supraclavicular nodes

Nodes above clavicle often first site of Hodgkin spread.

Axillary nodes

Armpit nodes that can become enlarged in lymphoid malignancy.

Inguinal nodes

Groin nodes included in common lymphoma sites.

Mediastinal nodes

Chest nodes whose enlargement may cause cough or dyspnea.

Bronchi

Large airways where squamous carcinoma commonly originates.

Mucus-secreting glands

Glandular structures giving rise to pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Fast-growing tumor

Characteristic of large-cell carcinoma with rapid doubling time.

GI-related anemia

Red-cell deficit resulting from chronic gastrointestinal bleeding.

Colonoscopy

Endoscopic exam of colon used for cancer screening and polyp removal.

Polypectomy

Endoscopic removal of adenomatous polyps to prevent cancer.

Tumor metastasis

Spread of cancer cells to distant organs like liver or lung.

Ascending colon

Right-sided bowel segment where cancers may bleed occultly.

Blast percentage

Proportion of blasts in marrow or blood used to classify leukemia.

Platelet decrease

Thrombocytopenia leading to bleeding risk in marrow disorders.

Bone marrow crowding

Overpopulation by malignant cells suppressing normal hematopoiesis.

Biopsy site care

Post-procedure pressure and monitoring to prevent bleeding/infection.

Targeted therapy

Cancer treatment aimed at specific molecular targets like EGFR.

EGFR inhibitors

Drugs blocking epidermal growth factor receptor in lung/colon cancers.

Chemotherapy

Systemic cytotoxic drugs killing rapidly dividing cancer cells.

Radiation therapy

Use of ionizing radiation to destroy localized cancer tissue.

Occupational carcinogens

Workplace substances (e.g., benzene) causing leukemia or lung cancer.

Radon exposure remediation

Home ventilation or sealing measures to lower indoor radon levels.