Glossary of Terms
Every job, from cooking to running a nuclear power plant, uses a specialized vocabulary. Here are some terms you may hear during your appointments at Women’s Cancer Care of Seattle.
Benign — Cell growth that is not cancer, and therefore does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Biological therapy (also called immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy) — Uses the body's immune system, either directly or indirectly, to fight cancer or to lessen side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments.
Biopsy — The removal of sample of tissue via a hollow needle or scalpel. The tissue is processed in the pathology laboratory and examined under a microscope to make the correct diagnosis.
Brachytherapy — The use of a radioactive source implanted directly into a tumor. This allows a very high, localized dose of radiation to be given to a tumor, while limiting significant radiation exposure to other tissues.
Cancer — Abnormal cells that divide without control. These cells can invade nearby tissues or spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
Carcinogen — A substance that is known to cause cancer.
Chemotherapy — The treatment of cancer by drugs designed to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.
Clinical trials — The process by which new cancer treatments are tested in humans. Clinical trials are conducted after preliminary testing has shown that a new treatment is safe and effective.
Computed tomography (also called CT or CAT scan) — A non-invasive X-ray procedure that takes cross-sectional images of internal organs; a CAT scan allows visualization of internal organs and abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary x-ray.
Cyst — A fluid-filled sac of tissue. Cysts can be found in any part of the body, including the ovaries.
Endometriosis — A condition in which tissue resembling that of the endometrium (lining inside the uterus) grows outside the uterus. Most commonly, endometriosis develops on or near the ovaries or fallopian tubes or in other areas of the pelvic cavity.
Endoscopy — The use of a very flexible lighted tube with a camera, which is connected to a television screen, allowing the physician to see inside hollow organs. Biopsy samples can be taken through the tube. Organs examined by endoscopy include the uterus, known as hysteroscopy, the colon (colonoscopy) bladder (cystoscopy) and esophagus and stomach (esophagogastroscopy).
Fibroids — Non-cancerous growths in, on or within the walls of the uterus. Fibroids originate in the benign smooth muscle of the uterus’ internal wall.
Frozen section — A procedure done by the pathologist during an operation to give the surgeon an immediate answer as to whether a tissue is benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Grading — A process for classifying cancer cells to estimate the malignant potential of the tumor. Usually cancers are graded on a scale of 1, 2 or 3.
Hormone therapy — The treatment of cancer by removing, blocking or adding hormones. Tamoxifen is a well-known hormonal therapy for breast cancer.
Hysterectomy — Surgery to remove the uterus.
Imaging — Any process that produces pictures of areas inside the body, such as X-rays. Imaging examples include CAT scans, MRI scans and PET scans.
Immunotherapy (also called biological therapy) – A treatment that uses the body's natural defenses to fight cancer.
Invasive cancer — A cancer that begins in one area and then spreads deeper into the tissues of that area.
Laparoscopy — The use of a viewing tube with a lens or camera, which is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen to examine the contents of the abdomen and remove tissue samples or perform surgical procedures.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — A non-invasive procedure that produces a two-dimensional view of an internal organ or structure. Unlike a CAT scan, an MRI uses a strong magnetic field to create these images.
Malignant — cancerous cells are present.
Metastasis — The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. Cells that spread are like those of the original cancer. For example: cervical cancer cells may spread (metastasize) to the lymph nodes and cause the growth a of a new tumor. When this happens, the disease is called metastatic cervical cancer. It is important to note that the cancer is still considered to be cervical in origin because the tumor is made of abnormal cervical cells.
Oncologist — A physician who specializes in treating cancer.
Pathologist — A physician who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.
Protocol — A formalized plan of what treatments a patient will receive. Synonym: regimen.
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) — Treatment with high-energy rays (such as gamma rays) to kill cancer cells.
Recur — To occur again; reappearance of cancer cells at the same site or in another location. Similar uses include recurrence, recurrent or relapse.
Regimen — See Protocol.
Risk factor — An activity or environmental element that may increase the chance of developing a disease. Some risk factors, like genetic inheritance, cannot be changed. Other risk factors, such as smoking or body weight, can be controlled.
Screening — Checking for disease when there are no obvious symptoms. Examples of screening tests include Pap smears for cervical cancer, mammograms for breast cancer; colonoscopies for colon cancer.
Stage — The location of a cancer in the body. There are four stages of cancer, generally assigned according to these guidelines:
Stage I: Cancer is confined to the original site, such as the cervix.
Stage II: Cancer has spread to nearby structures; a Stage II cervical cancer may have spread to nearby soft tissues or the upper vagina.
Stage III: Cancer has spread to involve tissues further away from the original site. Patients with lymph node involvement are often categorized as Stage III.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to more remote parts of the body. Gynecologic cancers that have spread to the liver, lungs or brain would be categorized as Stage IV.
