TERMS USED
Adenocarcinoma: Cancerous malignant tumor that is formed in the glandular tissue. Glandular cells are found in the layer that lining some internal organs, secreting various substances (mucus, digestive juice, etc.). Examples of adenocarcinoma cancers: lung, colon, pancreas, breast, etc.
Adenoma: A benign tumor on the glands with a similar structure.
Anatomopathologist (here): Specialist who offers the diagnosis of certainty of cancer. Specialist in the diagnosis and classification of diseases, based on the organic changes occurring in the tissues and cells, revealed in the laboratory analyzes.
Antiemetics: Medicines, substances that prevent and relieve nausea and vomiting caused by treatment.
Benign Necanceros. A benign tumor does not spread to other tissues or regions of the body, and can often be treated successfully by surgical removal.
Biopsy: The harvesting of cells or fragments from the affected organ or tissue by the anatomopathologist to provide the diagnosis of certainty. The harvested sample is examined under laboratory conditions, analyzing the benign or malignant nature of the suspected tumor or tissue.
Brachytherapy: Internal Radiotherapy; a form of cancer treatment that involves the placement of a radioactive source in the body in the immediate vicinity of the tumor (intracavitary brachytherapy) or even inside it (interstitial brachytherapy).
Localized cancer: Stage I, which is found only at the level of the tissue or organ in which it started and did not spread to other areas of the body. Similar "in situ".
Systemic cancer ≠ localized cancer. Cancer that the city has stashed - has spread to other organs and structures of the body to where it debuted.
Carcinogen: A chemical substance, a virus or a physical substance that causes or favors the development of cancer, or which maintains its development. One of the most known carcinogens is tobacco.
Carcinoma: The most common type of cancer; a malignant formation that occurs in the epithelial cells that form what the organs cover.
Chemotherapy: Drug treatment for cancer, which aims to stop cancer cells from developing; is one of the most used anticancer therapies, sometimes in combination with other forms of treatment (radiotherapy, surgery).
Chist: Liquid, air, pus or other organic material-like bag formations. Most often, cysts are benign (non-cancerous).
Diagnosis of certainty: The diagnosis required for the initiation of anticancer treatment, which confirms or invalidates the benign or malignant nature of the tumor; is performed by the anatomopathologist, through surgery or biopsy.
Dysplasia: Abnormal changes and development of the cells and tissues in the body that could indicate an early stage of cancer.
Multidisciplinary team: Each case of cancer is managed by a group of specialists, including: oncologist, oncologist surgeon specializing in a particular region of the body, radiotherapist, anatomopathologist. Where appropriate, the multidisciplinary team may include other specialists who work together to establish a viable treatment plan for each patient.
Electrochemistry: Cancer treatment combining chemotherapy with electrical impulses.
Enucleation: A method of surgically removing an encapsulated tumor (inside an organ) without a cut, but by compression, just like removing a kernel.Excision: Surgical removal of an organ or tumor.
Expectant vigilance: Careful monitoring of cancer by a specialist before or after treatment, in order to observe the overall evolution of patient health and disease in particular.
Negative False: Result of a medical investigation that indicates a normal value, although there is an anomaly.
Positive False: Result of a medical investigation that indicates a health problem, when it does not actually exist.
Fibroadenoma: A benign (noncancerous) mammary tumor of fibrous or glandular nature.
Cancer-susceptible gene: Gene whose mutations involve a risk of developing a certain type of cancer, higher than the average risk of the population.
Excision: Surgical removal of an organ or tumor.
Expectant vigilance: Careful monitoring of cancer by a specialist before or after treatment, in order to observe the overall evolution of patient health and disease in particular.
Hyperplasia: Unusual multiplication of the number of normal cells in a tissue or organ. Different from neoplasia.
Immunotherapy: A form of cancer treatment that involves stimulating the immune system to fight the disease.
In situ: In the initial place. An early stage of a tumor, in which cancer cells did not spread to nearby tissues or other organs in the body. Cancer tumors in situ are non-invasive forms with optimal prognostic response to treatment.
Invasive (Referring to cancer) ≠ in situ. A cancerous tumor that has spread to the body (a city).
Lymphoma: Cancer that occurs in the lymphatic system (part of the immune system that is responsible for the production and transport of white blood cells that fight infection with the body).
Malignant: A term used to describe a tissue change / cancerous tumor with a rapid development that has the ability to affect tissues and organs in which it appears and can spread to other areas of the body.
Tumor markers: substances released by cancer cells that signal the disease. They can be identified in high blood, urine or tissues. If tumor markers are not decisive in cancer diagnosis (sometimes, even healthy tissues can produce this type of substance), they are relevant in following the response to treatment after diagnosis. By tracking tumor markers, specialists can monitor disease progression and eventual relapses.
Metastases: Migration, the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to another organ or other part of the body through the lymphatic or blood system.
Metastatic lesions contain the same cell type as the primary tumor, the origin. The occurrence of metastasis, regardless of the spreading region, enters the stage IV cancer.
Myeloma: A type of cancer that occurs in the plasma cells (a type of white blood cell), which is mainly found in the bone marrow and is an important part of the immune system.
Oncological monitoring: A long-term process by which a patient completing specific therapies is supervised by means of regular checks. Monitoring has the role of tracking disease recurrence or city staging in time.
Morphology (in this context): Examination of the characteristics of cancer cells at microscope (shape, structure, color, etc.)
Acquired mutations: Genetic mutations of cells that are not inherited at birth but occur throughout their lives.
Somatic mutations: Genetic mutations (modifications) of cells in the body, except reproductive, germinal (egg and sperm).
Necrosis: Pathological death of a tissue (other than natural genetic death of cells).
Neoplasm: Benign or malignant tumor.
Neoplasia: Multiplication, unnatural, pathological multiplication of a cell group resulting in a benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor.
Neuroblastoma: A form of cancer specific to neonates and children, consisting of immature nerve cells (similar to embryonic nerve cells). Cancerous tumors often develop in the adrenal glands, near the spine or within the trunk.
Node: A small, well-defined mass, usually round, felt to the touch as a bump.
Oncogenic: Gene that has undergone mutations that contribute to the development of cancer cells and the formation of a malignant tumor.
Oncology: Medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Osteosarcoma: A form of bone cancer that occurs mainly in children, adolescents and young people.
Precancerous: Condition of a lesion or organ that can become cancerous.
Prognostic: Prediction, estimation of the response to treatment and the evolution of the patient's health status, depending on the stage of the disease. It can be classified as favorable (in the case of incipient and less aggressive tumors), unfavorable (at advanced stages, diagnosed late and aggressive tumors), reserved (for patients in the terminal stage of the disease).
Proliferation: Rapid or excessive, abnormal cell proliferation.
Radiologist: Physician specialized in interpreting imaging examinations (radiographs, computed tomography, MRI).
"A healthy man is always an earthly, material man. But as he gets sick and the natural, earthly order of his body breaks down,
he immediately reveals the possibility of another world and, as the disease gets worse, relations with this world it narrows. "
Feodor M. Dostoievski 1821-1881
