GLOSSARY* L-O A-C D-K L-O P-Z
LAPAROSCOPY The insertion of a thin, lighted tube through the abdominal wall to directly view the organs of the abdomen and to perform a biopsy.
LEUKOCYTES White blood cells.
LIVER FUNCTION TESTS Blood tests that indicate the intactness of liver cells and their functioning, as well as the normal flow of bile. Combinations of specific compounds (AST, ALT, albumin, etc.) are typically measured together to help provide a clearer indication of the disorder.
LOBECTOMY The surgical removal of one lobe of the lung.
LOCALIZED Restricted to the site of organ without evidence of spread.
LUMP A mass of tissue that may or may not be cancerous.
LUMPECTOMY Surgical excision of a tumor without removing large amounts of surrounding tissue.
LYMPHADENECTOMY A surgical procedure in which the lymph nodes are removed and examined to see if they contain cancer.
LYMPHEDEMA Swelling in the arm or led caused when too much lymph fluid collects in tissue. It can happen after lymph nodes and vessels are removed by surgery or treated by radiation. An infrequent complication of lumpectomy.
LYMPH FLUID An almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease.
LYMPH NODES Small, bean-shaped structures that are part of the immune system and store special cells that can trap cancer cells or bacteria traveling through the body.
MAINTENANCE THERAPY Treatment that is given to help prevent relapse in patients whose cancer is in remission.
MALIGNANT TUMOR Cancerous or life threatening, tending to become progressively worse. Cancer can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
METASTASIS The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. Cells in the metastatic (secondary) tumor are like those in the original (primary) tumor.
METASTASIZE When cancer has spread from where it started to another area of the body.
MICROMETASTASES A very small amount of cancer that has spread from its original location and cannot be detected with currently available tests.
MITOTIC INDEX/ACTIVITY An indication of how fast a cancer is growing. A measure that reflects the proportion of cells in a sample that are undergoing cell division and growth.
MUCOSITIS Inflammation of the lining of the mouth or gastrointestinal tract.
MULTIMODALITY THERAPY The combined use of more than one method of treatment, for example, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
MYELODYSPLASIA (ALSO CALLED MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES [MDS]) An abnormal maturation of bone marrow cells that results in low blood cell counts. Occasionally, myelodysplasia can transform into leukemia.
NEEDLE BIOPS Removal of fluid, cells, or tissue with a needle for examination under a microscope.
There are two types: fine- needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsy.
NEOADJUVANT THERAPY Treatment given before the primary treatment, usually surgery, to shrink the tumor. It can be chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy.
NEUROPATHY Damage to nerves; usually in the context of treatment-related damage.
NEUTROPENIA An abnormally low count of infection-fighting white blood cells in the body. A common side effect of many chemotherapy drugs.
NEUTROPHIL A type of white blood cell that is important to fighting infections, particularly bacterial infections.
NODAL STATUS Indicates whether a cancer has spread (node-positive) or not spread (node-negative) to the lymph nodes. The number and site of positive nodes can help predict the risk of cancer recurrence.
NODE-NEGATIVE Cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes.
NODE-POSITIVE Cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.
NONMETASTATIC Cancer that has not spread from the original site to other sites in the body.
NONRANDOMIZED STUDY A clinical trial in which all patients receive the same investigational treatment.
ONCOLOGIST A doctor who is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.Medical oncologists specialize in the use of chemotherapy and other agents-such as antibodies, hormones, etc.-to treat cancer. Radiation oncologists specialize in the use of x- rays (radiation) to kill tumors. Surgical oncologists specialize in performing operations to treat cancer.
*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.
home | about us |get involved | donate | resources | contact us
© Copyright 2015. Cancer Crisis Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.