GLOSSARY* A-C A-C D-K L-O P-Z
ABLATIVE THERAPY Treatment that removes or destroys the function of an organ, as in surgical removal of the organ, or the administration of some types of chemo-therapy that cause the organ, such as bone marrow, to stop functioning.
ABSOLUTE NEUTROPHIL COUNT (ANC) A blood test that measures the total number of neutrophil granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, in the blood. Neutrophils are the main blood cell for fighting or preventing infections. A low neutrophil count increases risk of infection.
ADJUVANT THERAPY Adjuvant therapy is a treatment that is added to increase the effectiveness of a primary therapy. Adjuvant therapy may consist of chemo- therapy, radiation therapy, biologic, or hormonal therapy alone or in combination after surgery to increase the chances of curing the cancer or prolonging a remission.
ALMINBU Albumin is the most prevalent protein in blood. It is synthesized in the liver and removed from circulation by the kidney, which causes it to be excreted in the urine. Albumin is often measured to detest liver damage or kidney damage, either of which may be a side effect of cancer or cancer treatment.
ALKYLATING AGENTS A group of chemo-therapy drugs that interferes with a cell’s DNA, causing the cell to die.
ALLOGENIC TRANSPLANT IALMATER Includes blood, bone marrow, or stem cells that come from a donor with genetically different but compatible genes.
ALOPECIA Partial or complete loss of hair from natural or other causes. Many, but not all, cancer drugs cause total or partial alopecia.
ANEMIA A decrease in hemoglobin, which is the oxygen-carrying pigment in red blood cells.
This results in a decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Anemia can cause a pale complexion, weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath on exertion.
ANTIANGIOGENESIS THERAPY The use of drugs or other substances to inhibit or prevent cancerous tumors from developing new blood vessels.
ANTIEMETIC A drug that prevents or relieves nausea and vomiting (emesis), which are common side effects or chemo-therapy.
ANTIESTROGEN A substance (for example, the drug tamoxifen) that blocks the effects of the female hormone estrogen on tumors. Antiestrogens are used to treat some cancers that depend on estrogen for growth, such as hormonally responsive breast cancer.
AROMATASE INHIBITOR A drug that inhibits the aromatase enzyme, which is key to the production of the female hormone estrogen-especially after menopause. The growth of many breast cancers is fueled by estrogen.
AUTOLOGOUS TRANSPLAN Tissue taken from a patient and returned to the same patient.
BENIGN TUMOR An abnormal mass of tissue that is not cancerous and will not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
BISPHOSPHONATES FOR METASTATIC CANCER A class of drugs that can effectively prevent or slow down loss of bone that occurs from metastatic lesions, reduce the risk of fractures, and decrease pain. Bisphosphonate drugs work by inhibiting bone resorption, or breakdown, which may increase when cancer has metastasized to the bones.
BRACHYTHERAPY A radiation treatment that travels very short distances. For example, radioactive material or “seeds” can be placed inside or near cancerous tissue to attack the cancer most efficiently.
CANCER IN SITU Cancer limited to the surface of tissue with no invasion of adjacent tissue.
CHEMOEMBOLIZATION A procedure in which the blood supply to the tumor is blocked mechanically by injecting chemotherapy-loaded particles into the blood vessel supply with the intent of clogging blood vessels and delivering high concentrations of chemotherapy.
COLONOSCOPY A procedure to look inside the colon or large intestine through a lighted, flexible tube.
COLONY- STIMULATING FACTOR Substances that stimulate the production of blood cells. Treatment with colony-stimulating factors (CSF) can help the blood-forming tissue (i.e., bone marrow) to recover from the effects of chemo-therapy and radiation therapy.
COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC) A blood test to check the number of red cells, white sells, and platelets.
COMPLETE RESPONSE (CR) As a result of treatment, the tumor can no longer be seen by examination or on scans. Also called complete remission.
CONFORMAL RADIATION A form of radiation therapy in which the radiation beams are shaped in three dimensions to match the shape of the tumor. The shaping is accomplished by special equipment and special computer programs. Also called 3-D-CRT.
CORTICOSTEROIDS Steroids produce by the cortex of the adrenal glands, the endocrine glands that sit above the kidney, or their synthetic counterparts. They may be used to suppress the immune system in inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, or work against subsets of lymphocytes in various blood cancers.
*Caring4Cancer. (2008). Glossary. Cancer4Care (Vol. 3, Issue 3, pp. 77-80)
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© Copyright 2015. Cancer Crisis Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
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© Copyright 2015. Cancer Crisis Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.