Oncology Terminology

Question 1

What are the general signs and symptoms of cancer?

Answer 1

• Change in bowel/bladder routine
• a sore that will not heal
• unusual bleeding/discharge
• thickening/lump develops
• indigestion or difficulty swallowing
• Nagging cough/hoarseness

unexplained weight loss, fatigue, anorexia, anemia, pain, and/or weakness or other general symptoms

Question 2

What are the Primary Prevention strategies for cancer?

Answer 2

• elimination of modifiable risk factors
• use of natural agents to prevent cancers
• cancer vaccine

Question 3

What are the secondary Prevention strategies for cancer?

Answer 3

• early detection
• selective preventative pharmacy agents
• multifactorial risk reduction

Question 4

What are the tertiary prevention strategies for cancer?

Answer 4

• prevent disability that can occur secondary to cancer and it’s treatment
• manage symptoms
• limit complications

Question 5

What tumors are associated with epithelial tissue such as skin, lining of the bladder, and mucous membrane?

Answer 5

Carcinoma

Adenocarcinoma

Question 6

What tumors are associated with pigmented cells such as moles?

Answer 6

malignant melanoma

Question 7

What tumors are associated with connective tissue such as striated muscle, bone, blood vessels, fat, cartilage, and smooth muscle?

Answer 7

sarcomas

Question 8

What tumors are associated with nerve tissue such as in the brain, in nerves, in spinal cord, etc?

Answer 8

Astrocytoma
glioma
neurilemma sarcoma
neuroblastoma
retinoblastoma

Question 9

What tumors are associated with lymphoid tissue such as lymph nodes?

Answer 9

lymphoma

Question 10

What tumors are associated with hematopoietic tissue such as one marrows and plasma cells?

Answer 10

leukemia
myelodysplasia
multiple myeloma

Question 11

What is Stage 0 cancer?

Answer 11

early malignancy that is present only in the layer of cells in which it began (carcinoma in situ)

Question 12

What is Stage 1 cancer?

Answer 12

malignancy limited to the tissue of origin with no lymph involvement or metastasis

Question 13

What is Stage 2 cancer?

Answer 13

malignancy spreading into adjacent tissues; lymph nodes may show signs of micrometastases

Question 14

What is Stage 3 cancer?

Answer 14

malignancy that has spread to adjacent tissue showing signs of fixation to deeper structures, likelihood of metastatic lymph node involvement is high

Question 15

What is Stage 4 cancer?

Answer 15

Malignancy that has metastasized beyond the primary site, for example, to bone or another origin

Question 16

What is Adjuvant?

Answer 16

treatment provided, in addition to other cure-focused interventions with the intention of preventing cancer recurrence

Question 17

What is a Benign Neoplasm?

Answer 17

an abnormal cell growth that is usually slow growing and harmless

Question 18

What are differentiated cells?

Answer 18

cells that have matured from a less specific to a more specific cell type

Question 19

What is dysplasia?

Answer 19

an abnormal development of cells or tissue that is often an early sign of neoplasia

Question 20

What is hyperplasia?

Answer 20

an increase in cell number that may be normal or abnormal depending on additional characterstics

Question 21

What is metaplasia?

Answer 21

a change in a cell from one type to another that may be normal or abnormal

Question 22

What is Neoadjuvant?

Answer 22

chemotherapy or radiation given prior to surgical oncology intervention