Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
anaplasia
loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell type
Angiogenesis
formation of new blood vessels
Apoptosis
programmed cell death
benign tumor
Noncancerous growth (neoplasm)
biological therapy
use of the body's own defenses to destroy tumor cells
brachytherapy
radiotherapy that uses insertion of sealed containers into body cavities or radioactive seeds directly into the tumor
carcinogens
Agents that cause cancer: chemicals and drugs, radiation, and viruses
carcinoma
cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin
cellular oncogenes
pieces of DNA that, when activated by mutations or by dislocation, can cause a normal cell to become malignant
chemotherapy
treatment of cancer with drugs
dedifferentiation
loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive, embryonic cell type; anaplasia or undifferentiation
differentiating agents
Drugs that promote tumor cells to differentiate, stop growing, and die
Differentiation
Specialization of cells
encapsulated
Surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are encapsulated
external beam irradiation (teletherapy)
applying radiation to a tumor from a source outside the body
fields
dimensions of the size of radiation area used to treat a tumor from a specific angle
Fractionation
giving radiation in small, repeated doses
genetic screening
family members are tested to determine whether they have inherited a cancer-causing gene
grading of tumors
evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells or indication of malignant transformation
Gray (Gy)
unit of absorbed radiation dose
Irradiation
exposure to any form of radiant energy such as light, heat, or x-rays
malignant tumor
A tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis
metastasis
Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site; literally, beyond (meta-) control (-stasis).
Mitosis
Replication of cells; a stage in a cell's life cycle involving the production of two identical cells from a parent cell.
mixed-tissue tumors
tumors composed of different types of tissue
Mutation
Change in the genetic material (DNA) of a cell; may be caused by chemicals, radiation, or viruses or may occur spontaneously.
Nucleotide
Unit of DNA (gene) composed of a sugar, phosphate, and a base
oncogene
Region of DNA in tumor cells (cellular oncogene) or in viruses that cause cancer (viral oncogene)
photon therapy
radiation therapy using x-rays or gamma rays
proton therapy
Subatomic positively charged particles (protons) produced by a cyclotron deposit a dose of radiation at a tightly focused point in the body.
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 using radiation
relapse
Recurrence of tumor after treatment
sarcoma
malignant tumor of connective tissue
simulation
Study using CT scan or MRI to map treatment before with radiotherapy is given
staging of tumors
System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. An example is the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) system
Virus
An infectious agent that reproduces by entering a host cell and using the host's genetic material to make copies of itself.
necrotic
containing dead tissue
fungating
mushrooming pattern of growth in which tumor cells pile one on top of another and project from a tissue surface
ulcerating
characterized by large, open, exposed surfaces
inflammatory
characterized by redness, swelling, and heat
polypoid
growths are projections from a base; sessile and pedunculated tumors are examples
cystic
tumors form large, open spaces filled with fluid
verrucous
resembling a wart-like growth
medullary
tumors are large, soft, and fleshy
oral mucositis
Ulceration of lining cells in the mouth caused by radiation to the jaw
pneumonitis
inflammation of the lung
alopecia
baldness
myelosuppression
bone marrow depression (anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia)
Fibrosis
Radiation to the lungs causes increase in connective tissue
Xerostomia
dryness of the mouth
nausea
Chemotherapy may cause this sensation leading to vomiting
secondary tumors
New type of growths arise at a site separate from the primary tumor
Infertility
Inability to contribute to conception of a child
laparoscopy
visual examination of the abdominal cavity using an endoscope
bone marrow biopsy
removal of bone marrow tissue for microscopic examination
core needle biopsy
insertion of a large-bore needle into tissue to remove a core of cells for microscopic examination
PSA test
blood test for the presence of an antigen related to prostate cancer
CEA test
blood test for carcinoembryonic antigen (marker for GI cancer)
exfoliative cytology
cells are scraped from the region of suspected disease and examined under a microscope
stem cell transplantation
Bone marrow or stem cells are infused intravenously into a patient
osteoma
tumor of the bone