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Medical Terminology > Ch. 19 Oncology Vocab > Flashcards

Ch. 19 Oncology Vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

adjuvant chemotherapy

A

Drugs are given after primary therapy (surgery or radiation). Adjuvant means to assist.

Example sentence: Adjuvant chemotherapy is often used after surgery to prevent cancer recurrence.

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2
Q

alkylating agents

A

Chemotherapeutic synthetic drugs that cause crosslinks and breaks in DNA to stop cells from dividing.

Example sentence: Alkylating agents are commonly used in the treatment of various types of cancer.

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3
Q

anaplasia

A

Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive cell type.

Example sentence: Anaplasia is a characteristic feature of aggressive cancer cells.

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4
Q

antibiotics

A

Chemotherapeutic drugs found in bacteria and fungi, which cause breaks in DNA strands to inhibit cell division.

Example sentence: Antibiotics are used not only to treat infections but also in some cancer treatments.

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5
Q

antimetabolites

A

Chemotherapeutic agents that block the synthesis of DNA components (nucleotides) and prevent cells from dividing.

Example sentence: Antimetabolites are commonly used in the treatment of leukemia.

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6
Q

antimitotics

A

Chemotherapeutic chemicals that block the function of a protein necessary for mitosis.

Example sentence: Antimitotics are effective in inhibiting the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells.

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7
Q

apoptosis

A

Programmed cell death. (Apo- means off, away; -ptosis means to fall.)

Example sentence: Apoptosis plays a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis.

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8
Q

benign tumor

A

Noncancerous growth (neoplasm).

Example sentence: Benign tumors are usually not life-threatening and do not invade nearby tissues.

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9
Q

brachytherapy

A

Radiotherapy that uses insertion of sealed containers into body cavities or radioactive seeds directly into the tumor.

Example sentence: Brachytherapy is commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

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10
Q

carcinogens

A

Agents that cause cancer: chemicals and drugs, radiation, and viruses.

Example sentence: Avoiding exposure to known carcinogens can help reduce the risk of developing cancer.

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11
Q

carcinoma

A

Cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin.

Example sentence: Carcinomas account for the majority of cancer cases diagnosed worldwide.

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12
Q

chemotherapy

A

Treatment with drugs.

Example sentence: Chemotherapy is a common treatment option for various types of cancer.

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13
Q

combination chemotherapy

A

Use of several chemotherapeutic agents together for the treatment of tumors.

Example sentence: Combination chemotherapy is often used to target cancer cells at different stages of the cell cycle.

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14
Q

dedifferentiation

A

Loss of differentiation of cells; reversion to a more primitive, embryonic cell type; anaplasia or undifferentiation.

Example sentence: Dedifferentiation is associated with aggressive cancer behavior.

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15
Q

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A

Genetic material within the nucleus of a cell; controls cell division and protein synthesis.

Example sentence: DNA carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all living organisms.

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16
Q

differentiation

A

Specialization of cells.

Example sentence: Cellular differentiation is essential for the proper functioning of tissues and organs in the body.

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17
Q

electron beams

A

Low-energy beams of radiation for treatment of skin or surface tumors.

Example sentence: Electron beams are commonly used in radiation therapy for skin cancer.

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18
Q

encapsulated

A

Surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are encapsulated.

Example sentence: Encapsulated tumors are often easier to remove surgically compared to infiltrating tumors.

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19
Q

external beam irradiation

A

Radiation is applied to a tumor from a source outside the body.

Example sentence: External beam irradiation is a common treatment modality for localized cancers.

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20
Q

fractionation

A

Giving radiation in small, repeated doses.

Example sentence: Fractionation helps minimize damage to healthy tissues during radiation therapy.

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21
Q

genetic screening

A

Patients and family members are tested to determine whether they have inherited a cancer-causing gene.

Example sentence: Genetic screening can help identify individuals at higher risk of developing certain types of cancer.

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22
Q

grading of tumors

A

Evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells or degree of differentiation.

Example sentence: Grading of tumors helps determine the aggressiveness of cancer and guides treatment decisions.

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23
Q

What does ‘gray (Gy)’ refer to?

A

Unit of absorbed radiation dose.

This is the unit used to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the body.

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24
Q

gross description of tumors

A

Visual appearance of tumors to the naked eye: cystic, fungating, inflammatory, medullary, necrotic, polyploid, ulcerating, or verrucous

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25
What is immunotherapy?
Cancer treatment using immune cells and antibodies to kill tumor cells; CAR T cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors are examples
26
What does 'infiltrative' mean?
Extending beyond normal tissue boundaries into adjacent tissues. ## Footnote This describes the behavior of tumors that invade surrounding tissues.
27
What does 'invasive' refer to?
Having the ability to enter and destroy surrounding tissue. ## Footnote This describes the aggressive nature of tumors that penetrate and damage nearby tissues.
28
What is 'irradiation'?
Exposure to any form of radiant energy such as light, heat, or x-rays. ## Footnote This refers to the process of exposing tissues to radiation for therapeutic purposes.
29
What is a 'linear accelerator'?
Large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for treatment of deep-seated tumors. ## Footnote This is a medical device used for delivering radiation therapy to target tumors.
30
What is a 'malignant tumor'?
Tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. ## Footnote This refers to cancerous tumors that can spread to other parts of the body.
31
What is 'mesenchymal'?
Embryonic connective tissue (mes = middle, enchym/o = to pour). This is the tissue from which connective tissues (bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and blood cells) arise. ## Footnote Mesenchymal tissue serves as the origin for various types of connective tissues.
32
What is 'metastasis'?
Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site; literally, beyond control. ## Footnote Metastasis refers to the movement of cancer cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body.
33
What is the 'microscopic description of tumors'?
Appearance of tumors when viewed under a microscope: alveolar, carcinoma in situ, diffuse, dysplastic, epidermoid, follicular, papillary, pleomorphic, scirrhous, or undifferentiated. ## Footnote This describes the visual characteristics of tumors when examined at a cellular level.
34
What is 'mitosis'?
Replication of cells; a stage in a cell's life cycle involving the production of two identical cells from a parent cell. ## Footnote Mitosis is the process of cell division where one cell divides into two identical daughter cells.
35
What are 'mixed-tissue tumors'?
Tumors composed of different types of tissue (epithelial as well as connective tissue). ## Footnote Mixed-tissue tumors contain a combination of various cell types.
36
What is a 'modality'?
Method of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or irradiation. ## Footnote Modality refers to the specific approach or technique used to treat a medical condition.
37
What is 'molecularly targeted therapy'?
Use of drugs to attack specific targets (mutations) that drive cancer cell growth. ## Footnote This therapy targets specific molecules involved in cancer cell proliferation.
38
What are 'monoclonal antibodies'?
These are antibodies created in a laboratory by special reproductive techniques. They are designed to attack specific cancer cells directly or to activate T cells (or other effector cells) to kill the tumor. ## Footnote Monoclonal antibodies are artificially produced proteins that can target and destroy cancer cells.
39
What is 'morbidity'?
Condition of being unwell or deficient in normal function. ## Footnote Morbidity refers to the state of being diseased or experiencing a decreased level of health.
40
What does 'mucinous' mean?
Containing mucus (a thick whitish secretion). ## Footnote Mucinous tumors contain a gelatinous substance called mucus.
41
What is a 'mutation'?
Change in the genetic material (DNA) of a cell; may be caused by chemicals, radiation, or viruses or may occur spontaneously. ## Footnote Mutations are alterations in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes in cell function.
42
What is 'neoadjuvant chemotherapy'?
Drugs are given before primary therapy (surgery or radiation) to reduce the size of a tumor. ## Footnote Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is administered prior to the main treatment to shrink the tumor.
43
What is a 'neoplasm'?
New growth; benign or malignant tumor. ## Footnote Neoplasms refer to abnormal growths that can be either non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).
44
What is a 'nucleotide'?
Unit of DNA (gene) composed of a sugar, phosphate, and a base. The sequence or arrangement of nucleotides on a gene is the genetic code. ## Footnote Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.
45
What is an 'oncogene'?
Region of DNA in tumor cells (cellular oncogene) or in viruses that cause cancer (viral oncogene). Oncogenes are designated by a three-letter name, such as abl, erb, jun, myc, ras, and src. ## Footnote Oncogenes are genes that can potentially cause cancer when mutated or overexpressed.
46
palliative
Relieving but not curing symptoms.
47
pedunculated
Possessing a stem or stalk (peduncle); characteristic of some polypoid tumors.
48
photon therapy
Radiation therapy using energy in the form of x-rays or gamma rays.
49
protocol
Detailed plan for treatment of an illness.
50
proton therapy
Subatomic positively charged particles (protons) produced by a cyclotron deposit a dose of radiation at a tightly focused point in the body.
51
radiation
Energy carried by a stream of particles.
52
radiation fields
Dimensions of the area of the body undergoing irradiation.
53
radiation therapy
Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation oncology; radiotherapy.
54
radiocurable tumor
Tumor that is completely destroyed by radiation therapy. Early Hodgkin lymphoma is an example.
55
radioresistant tumor
Tumor that survives large doses of radiation.
56
radiosensitive tumor
Tumor in which radiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue.
57
radiosensitizers
Drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays.
58
radiotherapy
Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation therapy; radiation oncology.
59
relapse
Recurrence of tumor after treatment.
60
remission
Partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of disease.
61
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Cellular substance that represents a copy of DNA and directs the formation of new protein inside cells.
62
sarcoma
Cancerous tumor derived from connective or flesh tissue.
63
serous
Having the appearance of a thin, watery fluid (serum).
64
sessile
Having no stem; characteristic of some polypoid tumors.
65
simulation
Study using CT scan or MRI to map the area to receive treatment before radiotherapy is given.
66
solid tumor
Tumor composed of a mass of cells.
67
staging of tumors
System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. An example is the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) system.
68
stereotactic radiosurgery
Technique in which a single large dose of radiation is delivered under precise 3D guidance to destroy vascular abnormalities and small brain tumors.
69
surgical procedures to treat cancer
Methods of removing cancerous tissue: cryosurgery, cauterization, en bloc resection, excisional biopsy, exenteration, fulguration, incisional biopsy.
70
viral oncogenes
Pieces of DNA from viruses that infect a normal cell and cause it to become malignant.
71
virus
Infectious agent that reproduces by entering a host cell and using the host's genetic material to make copies of itself.

Medical Terminology (6 decks)

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