Seven basic terms
Malignant tumor: A cancerous tumor that may invade nearby healthy tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Benign tumor: A noncancerous abnormal growth that does not invade nearby tissues or other body parts.
Polyp: A growth of normal tissue that usually sticks out from the lining of an organ, such as the colon.
Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue to see if cancer cells are present.
Invasive: Refers to cancer that has spread from its original location to adjacent tissues.
Metastasis: The spread of cancer cells from where they originated to other parts of the body, where the cancer cells form new tumors (metastases).
Remission: Complete or partial disappearance of cancer signs and symptoms after treatment. Remission might not be a cure.
What are the stages of cancer?
Different staging systems are used for different cancer types. A stage is a way to describe where cancer is located, if it has spread and if it is affecting other parts of the body.
Stage 0: Cancer is located “in situ,” or in the place it started, and has not spread. Often highly curable by surgically removing an entire tumor.
Stage 1: Typically a small cancer or tumor that has not grown deeply and has not spread to the lymph nodes or elsewhere. Often called early-stage cancer.
Stages 2 and 3: The higher the number, the larger the cancer or tumor has grown and the more it has spread into nearby tissues.
Stage 4: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Also called advanced or metastatic cancer.
Major types of cancer
- Carcinoma starts in skin or tissues that line the inside or cover the outside of internal organs. Carcinomas account for most breast, lung, kidney, thyroid, colon, prostate, stomach, and skin cancers. The rate of carcinoma increases with age, so mostly people 50 and older are affected.
- Sarcoma develops in the tissues that support and connect the body, such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, and blood vessels. Sarcomas represent only 1 percent of cancers in adults but 15 percent of cancers in children.
- Melanoma develops in pigment-producing cells in the skin and, less frequently, in other organs such as the eye, mostly from overexposure to sunlight. Melanoma is the most common type of cancer in people 25–29.
- Lymphoma originates in the lymphatic system, which is the network of vessels, organs, and tissues that filters blood and produces many of the infection-fighting white blood cells. Lymphomas can occur at any age and account for about 8 percent of childhood cancers.
- Leukemia begins in the bone marrow tissues that produce blood. Cases of acute leukemia progress rapidly; chronic leukemias move more slowly. Lymphoblastic or lymphocytic leukemias affect white blood cells, while myelogenous or myeloid leukemias mainly affect red blood cells. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer.
- Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a rare cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow that weakens the immune system, can damage the bone structure, and can interfere with the production of normal blood cells. Myeloma usually affects people 60 or older.
Common cancer treatments
Chemotherapy: The use of medication or a combination of drugs to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells. A systemic therapy, it can affect your entire body.
Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy X-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells. Most commonly, the radiation is given from a machine outside the body. It also can be given using implants near the cancer cells, which is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy.
Clinical trial: A research study that tests new treatments or prevention methods to find out whether they are safe, effective, and possibly better than the current best-known treatment.
Complementary medicine: A diverse group of treatments—from acupuncture and massage to music therapy and meditation—used in addition to standard cancer treatments.
Hormone therapy: Treatment that removes, blocks, or adds hormones to destroy or slow the growth of cancer cells. Also called hormonal or endocrine therapy.
Immunotherapy: A cancer treatment using materials made by the body or in a lab to boost the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Also called biologic therapy.
Palliative treatment: Treatment that relieves symptoms such as pain but does not cure a disease.
For more in-depth discussion, check out www.cancer.net.
Sources: http://www.curetoday.com/journey/cancer-terms#sthash
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/oncolog/february-2016/house-call–common-cancer-terms-.html
cancer.net