Medical Terminology Chapter 19

malignant tumor

A tumor having the characteristics of continuous growth, invasiveness, and metastasis.

carcinogens

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

molecularly targeted drugs

Anticancer drugs designed to block the function of growth factors, their receptors, and signaling pathways in specific tumor cells.

microscopic description of tumors

Appearance of tumors when viewed under a microscope: alveolar, carcinoma in situ, diffuse, dysplastic, epidermoid, follicualr, papillary, pleomorphic, scirrhous, or undifferentiated.

external beam irradiation (teletherapy) (radiation therapy)

Applying radiation to a tumor from a source outside the body, linear accelerator). radiation therapy

adjuvant therapy

Assisting primary treatment. Drugs are given early in the course of treatment, along with surgery or radiation to attack deposits of cancer cells that may be too small to be detected by diagnostic techniques.

sarcoma

Cancerous tumor derived from connective or flesh tissue.

carcinoma

Cancerous tumor made up of cells of epithelial origin.

(ribonucleic acid) RNA

Cellular substance that represents a copy of DNA and directs the formation of new proteins inside cells."ribonucleic acid"

mutation

Change in DNA; may be spontaneous or caused by chemicals, radiation, or viruses.

ulcerating (gross description)

Characterized by an open, exposed surface resulting from the death of overlying tissue. often found in stomach, breast, colon, and skin. gross description

antibiotics (chemotherapy)

Chemical substances, produced by bacteria or fungi. most ,bind to DNA causing them to brake and not replicate. side effects; alopecia, stomatitis (mouth-itis), myelosuppression, and gastrointestinal issues. chemotherapy

antimitotics (chemotherapy)

Chemicals derived from bacteria, fungi or plants, coral reef animals, or ocean. Drugs that block, mitosis, cell division. chemotherapy

steroids

Complex, naturally occurring chemicals derived from cholesterol. Some are used in cancer chemotherapy.

plemorphic (microscopic description)

Composed of a variety of types of cells. example; mixed-cell tumors. microscopic description

morbidity

Condition of being unwell of deficient in normal function.

dysplastic (microscopic description)

Containing abnormal-appearing cells that are not clearly cancerous. example; dysplastic nevi,"moles on skin." often forerunners of skin cancer. microscopic description

necrotic (gross description)

Containing dead tissue. any tumor can out grow blood supply. gross description

mucinous

Containing mucus.

stereotactic radiosurgery (radiation therapy)

Delivery of single large dose of radiation (Gamma Knife surgery) at several different angles under stereotactic (highly precise) guidance to destroy a vascular abnormality (arteriovenous malformation)...(radiation therapy)

scirrhous (microscopic description)

Densely packed tumors, due to dense bands of fibrous tissue. common in breast and stomach cancer. microscopic description

fulguration (surgical description)

Destruction of tissue by electric sparks generated by a high-frequency current. (surgical description)

(protocol) prot.

Detailed plan for treatment of an illness. "protocol."

fields (radiation therapy)

Dimensions of the size of radiation area to treat a tumor from a specific angle. body area undergoing irradiation. radiation therapy

radiosensitizers (radiation therapy)

Drugs that increase the sensitivity of tumors to x-rays. examples; 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin, sensitize tumors. (radiation therapy)

differentiating agents

Drugs that promote tumor cells to differentiate, stop growing, and die.

mesenchymal

Embryonic connective tissue. This is the tissue from which connective tissues arise.

radiation

Energy carried by a stream of particles.

grading of tumors

Evaluating the degree of maturity of tumor cells or indication of malignant transformation.

irradiation

Exposure to any form of radiant energy such as light, heat, or x-rays.

infiltrative

Extending beyond normal tissue boundaries into adjacent tissues.

cystic (gross description)

Forming large open spaces filled with fluid. Mucinous tumors are filled with mucus, serous tumors are filled with serum. most commonly found in ovaries. gross description

follicular (microscopic description)

Forming small glandular sacs. examples;thyroid, gland, cancer, and lymphomas.microscopic description

papillary (microscopic description)

Forming small, finger-like or nipple-like projecting of cells. examples; bladder and thyroid cancer. microscopic description

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

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

polypoid (gross description)

Growths that form projections extending outward from a base. Sessile polypoid tumors extend from a broad base, and pedunculated polypoid tumors extend from a stem or stalk. common of colon. gross description

inflammatory (gross description)

Having features of inflammation - that is, redness, swelling, and heat. tumor blockage changes the skin as in breast cancer.gross description

sessile

Having no stem; characteristic of some polypoid tumors.

invasive

Having the ability to enter and destroy surrounding tissue.

serous

Having the appearance of a thin, watery fluid (serum).

undifferentiated (Microscopic description)

Lacking microscopic structures typical of normal mature cells. Microscopic description

linear accelerator (radiation therapy)

Large electronic device that produces high-energy x-ray beams for treatment of deep-seated tumors. intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is direct application of radiation during surgery using a linear accelerator in the operating room. radiation therapy

medullary (gross description)

Large, soft, fleshy tumors. such as in some thyroid and breast tumors. gross description

anaplasia

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

dedifferentiation

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

modality

Method of treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or irradiation.

surgical procedures to treat cancer

Methods of removing cancerous tissue: cryosurgery, cauterization, en bloc resection, excisional biopsy, exenteration, fulguration, incisional biopsy.

fungating (gross description)

Mushrooming pattern of growth in which tumor cells pile one on top of another and project from a tissue surface. common of colon tumors. gross description

neoplasm

New growth; benign or malignant tumor.

benign tumor (neoplasm)

Noncancerous growth, neoplasm

antimitotics (chemotherapy) (drugs)

Paclitaxel; Taxol is a antimitotic used to treat breast and ovarian cancers. typicaly combined w/ chemo drugs. side effects myelosuppression, alopecia, and nerve damage. Chemotherapy

remission

Partial or complete disappearance of symptoms of the disease.

incisional biopsy (surgical description)

Piece of tumor is removed for examination to establish a diagnosis. more extensive surgical procedure such as, chemo, or radiation are then used to treat tumor. (surgical description)

cellular oncogenes

Pieces of DNA that, when activated by mutation or by dislocation, can cause a normal cell to become malignant.

core needle biopsy (surgical description & clinical procedure)

Placement of a large-bore needle that extracts a thin core of tissue. (surgical description & clinical procedure)

fine needle aspiration Bx, (FNA) (surgical description)

Placement of a very thin needle inside the tumor mass and extracting cells for microscopic evaluation. FNA (surgical description)

pedunculated

Possessing a stem or stalk, peduncle; characteristic of some polypoid tumors.

cauterization (surgical description)

Process of burning tissue to destroy it.examples; electrocauterization, (using a needle or a snare heated by electric current), laser, dry ice, and chemicals. (surgical description)

angiogenesis

Process of forming new blood vessels.

apoptosis

Programmed cell death. Normal cells undergo apoptosis when damaged or aging. Some cancer cells have lost the ability to undergo apoptosis, and they live forever.

relapse

Recurrence of a tumor after treatment.

oncogene

Region of DNA in tumor cells=cellular oncogene, or in viruses that cause cancer = viral oncogene. Oncogenes are designed by a three-letter name, such as abl, erb, jun, myc, ras, and src.

palliative

Relieving but not curing symptoms.

excisional biopsy (surgical description)

Removal of tumor and a margin of normal tissue. this procedure provides a specimen for diagnosis and maybe curative for small noninvasive tumors. (surgical description)

mitosis

Replication of cells; a stage in a cell's life cycle involving the production of two identical cells from a parent cell.

verrucous (gross description)

Resembling a wart-like growth. common of gingiva (gum) tumors. gross description

epidermoid (microscopic description)

Resembling squamous epithelial cells (thin, plate-like). often occurring in the respiratory. microscopic description

differentiation

Specialization of cells.

metastasis (Mets)

Spread of a malignant tumor to a secondary site; literally, beyond (meta-) control (-stasis). "Mets"

diffuse (microscopic description)

Spreading evenly throughout the affected tissue. Malignant lymphomas may display diffuse involvement of lymph nodes. microscopic description

simulation (radiation therapy)

Study using CT scan or MRI to map treatment. required for all patients undergoing RT.(radiation therapy)

encapsulated

Surrounded by a capsule; benign tumors are encapsulated.

alkylating agents (chemotherapy)

Synthetic chemicals containing alkyl groups that attack DNA, causing strand breaks by. Chemicals interfere and attach to DNA molecules. side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myelosuppression and alopecia. after treatment side-effects disappear. chemotherapy

staging of tumors

System of evaluating the extent of spread of tumors. An example is the TNM (tumor-node-metastasis) system.

genetic screening

Testing family members to determine if they have inherited a cancer-causing gene.

radiotherapy

Treatment of tumors using doses of radiation; radiation oncology.

chemotherapy (chemo)

Treatment with drugs. chemo

alveolar (microscopic description)

Tumor cells form patterns resembling small sacs. common tumors of the muscle, bone, fat, and cartilage. microscopic description

solid tumor

Tumor composed of a mass of cells/

radiosensitive tumor (radiation therapy)

Tumor in which radiation can cause the death of cells without serious damage to surrounding tissue ,morbidity. examples: hematopoietic, lymphatic organs. Radiation therapy

en bloc resection (surgical description)

Tumor is removed along with a large area of surrounding tissue containing lymph nodes. examples; modified radicle mastectomy, colectomy, and gastectomy. (surgical description)

radiocurable tumor (radiation therapy)

Tumor that is destroyed by radiation therapy. typically localized tumor not metastasis. examples; Lymphomas, Hodgkin disease, and seminomas of the testes. Radiation therapy

radioresistant tumor (radiation therapy)

Tumor that requires large doses of radiation to be destroyed. melanoma and renal carcinoma are the most radioresistant radiation therapy

mixed tissue tumors

Tumors composed of different types of tissue [epithelial as well as connective tissue].

nucleotide

Unit of DNA (gene) composed of sugar, phosphate, and a base. The sequence or arrangement of nucleotides on a gene is the genetic code.

gray (Gy) (radiation therapy)

Unit of absorbed radiation dose. Historically, the unit in use was rad(100 rad=1Gy). (radiation therapy)

brachytherapy (radiation therapy)

Use of radiation placed directly on or within the cancer. It uses insertion of sealed containers into body cavities or radioactive seeds directly into the tumor. temp implant; head, neck gyno tumor. perm implant for prostatic implants or seeds to affected glands. Radiation therapy

combination chemotherapy

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

cryosurgery (surgical description)

Use of subfreezing temperature to destroy tissue. (surgical description)

biological therapy

Use of the body's own defenses to destroy tumor cells.

gross description of tumors

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

exenteration (surgical description)

Wide resection involving removal of the tumor, its organ of origin, and all surrounding tissue in the body space. such as removal of; pelvis, uterus, ovaries, bladder and parts of large bowel, due to uterus tumors. (surgical description)

fractionation (radiation therapy)

a method of dividing radiation into small, repeated doses rather than fewer large doses. fractionation allows larger total doses to be given while causing less damage to normal tissues. Radiation therapy

stereotactic radiosurgery (radiation therapy) (cont.)

abnormality "arteriovenous malformation," a triangle of blood vessels in the brain, to treat small intracranial tumors under stereotactic guidance. (radiation therapy)

antimetabolites (chemotherapy)

drug/chemical inhibiting formation the union of nucleotides components of DNA or are false copies and block DNA replication. chemotherapy

electron beams (radiation therapy)

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

photon therapy (radiation therapy)

radiation therapy using energy in the form of x-rays of gamma rays. A linear accelerator produces photon beams to treat tumors. Radiation therapy

carcinoma in situ (microscopic description)

referring to localized tumor cells that have not invaded adjacent structures. cancer of cervix may begin as such. microscopic description

antimetabolites (chemotherapy) (side effects)

side effects myelosuppression w/ leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. damage cells line the mouth and digestive track, leading to stomatitis, nausea, and vomiting. chemotherapy

proton therapy (radiation therapy)

small subatomic positively charged particles (protons) produced by a cyclotron deposit at a focused finite point. this reduces the does of affecting normal surrounding tissues by atleast 50%. Radiation therapy