List of oncology-related terms

List of Oncology-Related Terms

Oncology, the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, encompasses a wide range of terms and concepts. This article aims to provide a comprehensive list of oncology-related terms, each linked to further information for in-depth understanding.

A

• Adenocarcinoma - A type of cancer that forms in mucus-secreting glands throughout the body.
• Adjuvant therapy - Additional cancer treatment given after the primary treatment to lower the risk of the cancer coming back.
• Angiogenesis - The process through which new blood vessels form, which cancer tumors need to grow.
• Apoptosis - The process of programmed cell death that may be blocked in cancer cells.

B

• Benign - Refers to a condition, tumor, or growth that is not cancerous.
• Biopsy - A medical test involving the removal of cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence of cancer.

C

• Carcinogen - Any substance that causes cancer.
• Chemotherapy - A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
• Clinical trial - Research studies performed in people that are aimed at evaluating a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention.

D

• DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.

E

• Epigenetics - The study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself.
• Etiology - The study of the causes of diseases and conditions, including cancer.

F

• Familial cancer - Cancer that occurs more frequently in families than is expected by chance alone.

G

• Gene therapy - A technique that modifies a person's genes to treat or prevent disease, including some cancers.
• Genome - The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

H

• Hematology - The branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood.
• Hormone therapy - Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that need hormones to grow.

I

• Immunotherapy - A type of cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer.

M

• Malignant - Refers to cancer cells that can invade and kill nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
• Metastasis - The spread of cancer cells from the place where they first formed to another part of the body.
• Mutation - A change in the DNA sequence within a gene.

N

• Neoplasm - An abnormal growth of tissue that may be benign or malignant.

O

• Oncogene - A gene that has the potential to cause cancer.
• Oncologist - A doctor who specializes in treating cancer.

P

• Palliative care - Specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness, focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness.
• Pathology - The study of disease by examining tissues and body fluids.

R

• Radiation therapy - A type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

S

• Staging - The process of determining the extent of cancer within the body.
• Surgery - A branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or injury.

T

• Tumor - An abnormal lump or growth of tissue that can be benign or malignant.

V

• Vaccine - A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular disease, including some types of cancer.

This list is not exhaustive but covers many of the key terms encountered in the field of oncology. For more detailed information on each term, please follow the internal links provided.

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