Cancer Terminologies:                    

Cancer terminology can be complex and challenging for medical and paramedic personnel to comprehend. To help clarify these terms, the following glossary provides simple definitions that can be useful for patients and new medical students.

Terminologies

Metastatic: Cancer terminologies in which the cancer cells spread to other parts of the body are called cancer metastases. For example, if colon cancer spreads to the liver, it metastasizes to the liver.

Relapse: (when the cancer reappears after getting treatment) . The word relapse is usually used when a patient has completed the recommended course of treatment, and after some time, again comes with active disease.

At this time, the treatment options for the disease would be different. And the treating physician will try more aggressive chemotherapy regemin usually known as the line of chemotherapy, for example, the second line chemotherapy.                                       

Progression:

It is one of the Cancer terminologies in which the disease is getting worse, and the tumor size increases ( progression) of the disease or disease enhancement. This term is mostly used in reporting CT scans or MRI results.

 Palliative care/treatment: If the disease is not responding to any treatment and the patient is terminally ill, then the oncology physician decides to just manage the symptoms, ease the patient’s suffering, and make the patient comfortable.

Regression: (Decrease in disease intensity or if the tumor size is shrinking). This word or the stat is usually when the tumor size gets smaller after receiving the treatment, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Moreover, it could be done before surgery, so that the tumor could be easily resected.

Remissions: If cancer disappears and no more evidence of cancer in the body after treatment. To rule out the status of the diseases, every disease has different criteria to determine the remission status. For example, to see the remission of the blood cancer, a bone marrow biopsy is the standard test, and for a lymphoma, a PET scan is recommended.

Benign: If the tumor localizes or is specific to one area and does not spread to other body parts.

Malignant: if cancer spreads to other parts of the body or system.

Tumor: Abnormal growth of tissues or accumulation of cancer cells forms a hard mass.

Chemotherapy: The medication for the treatment of cancer.               

Neoplasm: (new cancer growth )

Oncology: (ONCO =cancer logy study, so, a study of cancer)

Oncologist: (a physician who treats cancer patients

In-situ 🙁 If the tumor localizes to one specific place or area of the body.

Biopsy: (to cut a small piece of suspicious tissue to make an exact diagnosis of cancer cells or other specific cells)

Stages of cancer:

The intensity of cancer is classified into stages, such as Stage 1 and Stage 2. Stages 3 and 4 are the final stages in oncology.

Mastectomy: The removal of the whole breast. If it is a single-sided side is called unilateral; if it is bilateral, it is called bilateral mastectomy. The purpose of a mastectomy is to stop cancer from spreading to other parts.

Sarcoma: Cancer appears in bone tissues. For example, Osteosarcoma.

Carcinoma: Cancer appears in the soft tissues of organs. For example, gall bladder carcinoma

Myeloma: Cancer of plasma cells.

Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymphatic system ( lymphoma). For example, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Leukemia: Cancer appears in blood cells ( leukemia). However, types of leukemia depend upon the type of cells involved.

Neutropenia: A low level of neutrophils (neutropenia).

Pancytopenia: The decreased number of white blood cells, Red blood cells, and platelets.

Thymoma (a tumor of the thymus gland)

Oncogene: The gene that is responsible for the cells to be cancerous is called an Oncogene. It is a mutated form of a proto-oncogene that is responsible for normal cell division.

Graft versus host disease:

This is the reaction between donor cells and the recipient’s body that occurs after a transplant. e.g., after a solid organ transplant like a kidney or liver transplant, or an allogeneic bone marrow transplant. The graft cells start attacking the host body.

Defuse large B-cell lymphoma:

Defuse large words used to describe the cells, because lymphoma cells seem extremely large under the microscope.

Blast cells. Too many abnormal/immature cells in the blood (blast cells or blast Crises). This usually happen the blood test of patients with blood cancer. The blast cells are picked up on a simple complete profile. (CBC test)

Lumpectomy:

Removal of a lump, especially in the breast ( lumpectomy). It is done for biopsy purposes or to remove the lump to rule out cancer.

Acute:

In cancer, the word acute is used when cancer symptoms spread quickly. For example, acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The patient becomes complicated very soon with multiple signs and symptoms.

Chronic.

When the disease spreads slowly over time, for example, chronic myeloid leukemia. In this type, treatment starts after months or years. The patient becomes symptomatic very slowly.

For example, a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia may have the disease for years in his or her body, and is usually diagnosed when the patient undergoes any other treatment.

Alopecia:

Hair fall starts as a side effect of cancer medication during cancer treatment. The reason for hair fall during chemotherapy treatment is that the chemotherapy medication targets the fast-growing cells in the body.

However, the fast-growing cells in the body are the cells of gastro intestinal tract, the blood cells, and the hair follicles. So, when the chemotherapy drugs come in contact with the hair follicle, they destroy the hair follicles.

Furthermore. Hair fall is a bad and emotional event for a patient as it effects patient’s body image. Therefore, the patient must be taught before the start of the treatment. So, she /he could be mentally ready for that. Secondly, the alternatives such as a hair wiggs and, a cap, or a scarf could be arranged on time.

Red cell aplasia:

A rare disorder in which bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells is called red cell aplasia.

Leucopenia:

When the white blood cell count drops below its normal range, it puts the person at risk of developing infections. Bone marrow aplasia: When the bone marrow is unable to produce enough blood cells is called bone marrow aplasia