Cancer nomenclature

cancer names

two parts

  1. prefix

    1. tells you where tumour first developed

  2. suffix

    1. all tumours have suffix, but suffix is different for cancer

      1. -oma = tumour

      2. -ia = condition

      3. -osis = disease

suffix and tissue classes

3 main tissue classes

  1. epithelial (glands; linings) = carcinoma

  2. mesenchymal (connective, blood, lymphatic tissue) = sarcoma

    1. exception = blood/lymphatic tissue cancers

  3. nerve tissue = blastoma

carcinoma examples

types of epithelial tissue

prefix

suffix - benign

suffix - malignant

-oma

-carcinoma

external skin

papillo-

papilloma

papillocarcinoma

gland

adeno-

adenoma

adenocarcinoma

sarcoma examples

types of connective tissue

prefix

suffix - benign

suffix - malignant

-oma

-sarcoma

fat

lipo-

lipoma

liposarcoma

bone

osteo-

osteoma

osteosarcoma

fibrous tissue

fibr-

fibroma

fibrosarcoma

cartilage

chondro-

chondroma

chondrosarcoma

blood vessel

hemangio-

hemangioma

hemangiosarcoma

lymph vessel

lymphangio-

lymphangioma

lymphangiosarcoma

smooth muscle

leiomyo-

leiomyoma

leiomyosarcoma

striated muscle

rhabdomyo-

rhabdomyoma

rhabdomyosarcoma

blastoma examples

types of nervous tissue

prefix

suffix - benign

suffix - malignant

-oma

-blastoma

nerve

neuro-

neuroma

neuroblastoma

gluey supportive (glial)

glio-

glioma

glioblastoma

retina

retino-

retinoma

retinoblastoma

brain covering

meningio-

meningioma

meningioblastoma

exceptions

do not follow naming rule and are always malignant

  1. melanoma (epithelial tissue malignancy involving melanocytes)

  2. leukemia (condition of WBC)

  3. lymphoma (lymphatic system)

leukemia/lymphoma naming

  1. state of cell (acute/chronic)

  2. lymphocytic/myelogenous

  3. leukemia