Medical Terminology-Cancer Terms – Flashcards
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Adenocarcinoma
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malignant tumor of epithelial tissue originating from glandular cells; aden/o = gland; carcin = cancer; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collectio
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Adenoma
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benign tumor of epithelial tissue originating from glandular cells; aden = gland; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Adjuvant therapy
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treatment given after primary treatment to keep cancer from returning
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Anaplasia
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lack of differentiation in neoplastic cells; sign of malignancy; ana = up, apart, backward, again, anew; plasia = development, formation
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Basal cell carcinoma
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common skin cancer of epithelium that rarely metastasizes; carcin = cancer; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Benign
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non-cancerous, non-invasive
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Brachytherapy
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internal radiation therapy; radioactive material placed directly next to a tumor; brachys = short distance; therapy = treatment
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Bx
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Biopsy
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CA
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Cancer
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Carcinogen
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any substance that is capable of causing cancer; carcin/o = cancer; gen = substance that produces
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Carcinoma
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malignant tumor with a tendency to metastasize to other areas; carcin = cancer; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Carcinoma in situ
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localized or noninvasive cancer; carcin = cancer; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Chemotherapy
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type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or chemicals; chem/o = drug, chemical; therapy = treatment
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Chondrosarcoma
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malignant tumor of cartilage; chondr/o = cartilage; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Differentiation
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process of cells to become more specialized for functionality (for example: muscle or bone cells); cancer cells tend to lose differentiation
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Dysplasia
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abnormal tissue development; dys = bad, painful, difficult, abnormal; plasia = development, formation
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Ewing sarcoma
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primary bone cancer that mostly affects a growth area in children (often the growth plate at the end of an arm or leg); sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Fibroma
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benign tumor of fibrous connective tissue; fibr = fiber; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Fibrosarcoma
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malignant tumor of fibrous connective tissue; fibr/o = fiber; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Glioblastoma
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most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor; gli/o = glial cells,neuroglial cells; blast = embryonic, immature cell; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Glioma
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tumor originating in the brain or spine; gli = glial cells, neuroglial cells; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Hemangiosarcoma
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malignant tumor originating from blood vessels; hem = blood; angi/o = vessel (blood); sarc = flesh (connective tissue);oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Histology
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study of tissue; histology of tumor is key to determining type of cancer; hist/o = tissue; logy = study (process of)
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Hodgkin's disease
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cancer of the lymph system stemming from white blood cells; one form of lymphoma
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Hyperplasia
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excessive development of number of cells other than tumor development, may be a sign of precancerous cell development; break it down: hyper = excessive; plasia = shape, formation
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Kaposi sarcoma
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form of skin cancer spread through the lymphatic system that commonly produces red or purple patches on the skin; common in those with weakend immune responses, such a AIDS patients; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Leiomyoma
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benign tumor of smooth muscle (often of the uterus); lei/o = smooth; my = muscle; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Leiomyosarcoma
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malignant tumor of smooth muscle (often of the uterus); lei/o = smooth; my = muscle; sarc = flesh(connectice tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Leukemia
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cancer of red bone marrow that begins with abnormal production of white blood cells; leuk/o = white; emia = blood condition
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Leukoplakia
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precancerous white patches on mucous membranes, usually of the mouth as a result of smoking; leuk/o = white; plakia = plaque
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Lipoma
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benign tumor of fat cells; lip = fat, lipid; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Liposarcoma
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malignant tumor of fat cells; lip/o = fat, lipid; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Lymphangiosarcoma
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malignant tumor of lymphatic vessels; lymph = lymph; angi/o = vessel (lymph); sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Lymphoma
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malignant tumor of lymph nodes or lymph tissue; lymph = lymph; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Malignant
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cancerous, invasive; malign = cancer; ant = pertaining to
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Melanoma
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most serious form of skin cancer originating from pigment producing cells (melanocytes); melan = black; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Meningioma
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benign tumor of the meninges that often produces pressure against the brain; meningi = meninges; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Metastasis
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(abbreviation: Mets) spread of cancer from primary site to another site not directly connected; meta = change, beyond; stasis = to stop, control, place
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Mets
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abbreviation: metastasis
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Myeloma
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malignant tumor of bone marrow; myel = spinal cord, bone marrow; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Myoma
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benign tumor of muscle tissue; my = muscle; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Myosarcoma
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malignant tumor of muscle tissue; my/o = muslce; sarc = Flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Neoplasm
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tumor; new, uncontrolled cell growth resulting in abnormal growth of tissue; may be malignant or benign; neo = new; plasm = formation, structure
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Nephroblastoma
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( Wilms tumor) cancerous tumor of kidney most often found in children; nephr/o = kidney; blast = embryonic, immature cell; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Neuroma
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tumor of nervous tissue; neur = nerve; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Oncologist
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physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer; onc/o = tumor; logist = specialist
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Oncology
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study of tumors (cancer); onc/o = tumor; logy = study (process of)
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Osteosarcoma
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malignant tumor of bone; oste/o = bone; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Palliative
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treatment given to reduce pain and suffering without providing a cure
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Pre-cancerous
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lesion or tumor that tends to develop into cancer
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Primary site
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site of original cancer cell formation and growth into a tumor
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Radiotherapy
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type of cancer treatment that uses radiation; radi/o = x-rays, radioactivity, radius (lateral lower arm bone); therapy = treatment
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Remission
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period after treatment in which there is no active cancer
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Retinoblastoma
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malignant tumor of the retina often developing during childhood; retin/o = retina; blast = embryonic, immature cell; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Rhabdomyoma
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benign tumor of muscle fibers; rhabd/o = rod; my = muscle; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Rhabdomyosarcoma
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malignant tumor of muscle fibers; rhabd/o = rod; my/o = muscle; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Sarcoma
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malignant tumor; sarc = flesh (connective tissue); oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Secondary site
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site to where a primary cancer spreads via the blood or lymphatic systems
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Squamous cell carcinoma
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slow growing cancer originating from the epidermis; carcin = cancer; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Teratoma
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tumor comprised of different types of tissues; includes tissues not usually found in the organ where it develops; occurs most commonly in the ovary or testis; terat = monster, malformed fetus; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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Thymoma
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benign tumor of the thymus gland; thym = thymus gland; oma = tumor, mass, fluid collection
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TNM
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abbreviation: tumor, node, metastasis; staging system for the classification of tumors
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Tumor
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neoplasm; new, uncontrolled cell growth resulting in abnormal growth of tissue; may be malignant or benign
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Xerostomia
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dry mouth due to reduction in salivary gland performance; common side effect of raditiation therapy; xer/o = dry, dryness; stomia = condition of the mouth
