Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled reproduction of cells, and usually results in a tumour. There are many medical terms used to describe the causes, effects and treatments of cancer, which can all be very confusing and overwhelming to people who have no experience of the disease.
Medical Terms Used to Describe Cancer
Doctors, specialists and other professionals in the medical world understand the technical words and phrases used to describe cancer; they know what they are talking about. But encountering words such as "metastasise," "malignant" and "carcinoma" can be a frustrating and perplexing experience for people with little cancer knowledge.
An explanation of the common terms used when talking about cancer helps to give people a basic understanding of what is happening during the disease.
Cancer Terms and Definitions
This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are some commonly encountered, basic cancer terms along with their definitions.
- oncology - the branch of medicine that studies cancerous diseases and provides treatment for cancer
- cancer cells - cells which reproduce at an abnormal and uncontrolled rate, often forming a tumour
- oncogenes - genes responsible for controlling the number of times a cell multiplies. Abnormalities in oncogenes can lead to the development of cancer cells.
- tumour suppressor genes - genes responsible for slowing down cell division and initiating cell death. Abnormal tumour supressor genes can result in cancerous tumours.
- carcinogen - a substance which causes cell damage such as cigarette smoke. A carcinogen increases the likelihood of cells becoming cancerous.
- malignant tumour - a lump consisting of cancer cells. The cells of the tumour may spread, invade and destroy other parts of the body.
- benign tumour - a lump which does not consist of cancer cells. A benign tumour will not spread to other body parts.
- biopsy - a sample of tissue that is removed and examined under a microscope in order to establish the presence or cause of disease
- primary cancer - the part of the body where a cancerous tumour originates
- secondary cancer - A tumour which forms as a result of cancer cells spreading from a tumour in a different part of the body. Secondary cancers are also known as metastases.
- metastasis - Cancer cells break off from a tumour and travel in the blood or lymphatic system to other body parts, where they begin to form new tumours. A cancer which has spread is said to have metastasised.
- carcinoma - a cancerous tumour arising in epithelial tissue (cells in the skin or the tissue that lines the organs). Most cancers are carcinomas.
- sarcoma - cancer of the connective tissue, such as the muscle, bone or cartilage.
- leukaemia - cancer of the blood
- lymphoma - cancer of the lymphatic system (lymph nodes and vessels which filter the blood).
- cancer grades - cancer is graded from I to III according to how slow-growing it is. The lower the grade, the slower the growth and the more the cancer cells resemble normal cells.
- cancer stages - The stage of a cancer refers to the size of the tumour and how much it has spread. The lower the stage, the smaller the tumour and the less the cancer has spread.
- chemotherapy - the use of drugs to treat cancer, often shortened to "chemo"
- radiation therapy - the use of X-rays to kill or harm cancer cells
Cancer is a huge topic, and there is a vast amount of information to be found on the Internet regarding its prevention, causes, diagnosis and treatments. For a basic overview of cancer, the article 'What is Cancer?' may be of interest. Readers may also be interested in 'What are the Stages and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer'.
Resources:
Cancer Research UK. "Glossary" (Accessed 4th February 2010).
Medicine OnLine. "Cancer Glossary" (Accessed 4th February 2010).
Web MD. "Glossary Terms for Cancer" (Accessed 4th February 2010).
Sharon Kirby - Sharon is a freelance health writer and contributes to various print and online publications. Writing credits include Nursing Times, Good ...
