 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
Glossary Terms: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 | 51-57
calcifications
:
tiny calcium deposits within the breast, singly or in clusters, usually found by mammography. These are also called microcalcifications. They are a sign of change within the breast that may need to be followed by more mammograms, or by a biopsy. Calcifications may be caused by benign breast conditions or by breast cancer.
cancer
:
Cancer is not just one disease but rather a group of diseases. All forms of cancer cause cells in the body to change and grow out of control. Most types of cancer cells form a lump or mass called a tumor. The tumor can invade and destroy healthy tissue. Cells from the tumor can break away and travel to other parts of the body. There they can continue to grow. This spreading process is called metastasis. When cancer spreads, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. For example, if prostate cancer spreads to the bones, it is still prostate cancer, not bone cancer.
Some cancers, such as blood cancers, do not form a tumor. Not all tumors are cancer. A tumor that is not cancer is called benign. Benign tumors do not grow and spread the way cancer does. They are usually not a threat to life. Another word for cancerous is malignant.
cancer care team
:
the group of health care professionals who work together to find, treat, and care for people with cancer. The cancer care team may include any or all of the following and others: primary care physician, pathologist, oncology specialists (medical oncologist, radiation oncologist), surgeons (including surgical specialists such as urologists, gynecologists, neurosurgeons, etc.), nurses, oncology nurse specialists, and oncology social workers. Whether the team is linked formally or informally, there is usually one person who takes the job of coordinating the team.
cancer cell
:
A cell that divides and reproduces abnormally and can spread throughout the body. See metastasis.
cancer susceptibility genes
:
genes (the basic unit of heredity) inherited from one's parents that greatly increase the risk of a person's developing cancer. About 5%-15% of all cancers are caused by these genes.
cancer vaccine
:
a vaccine used in the treatment (not prevention) of some cancers. It is made from pieces of tumors and works by causing the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
cancer-related checkup
:
a routine health examination for cancer in persons without obvious signs or symptoms of cancer. The goal of the cancer-related checkup is to find the disease, if it exists, at an early stage, when chances for cure are greatest. Depending on the person's sex and age, this checkup may include a digital rectal examination, clinical breast examinations, Pap smears, PSA blood test, and skin examinations. See also, detection.
capsule formation
:
scar tissue that may form around a breast implant (or other type of implant) as the body reacts to the foreign object. Sometimes called a contracture.
carcinoembryonic antigen
(car-sin-o-em-bre-ON-ic an-tuh-jin)
:
a substance normally found in fetal tissue. If found in an adult, it may suggest that a cancer, especially one starting in the digestive system, may be present. Tests for this substance may help in finding out if a colorectal cancer has recurred after treatment.
carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
:
a substance normally found in fetal tissue. If found in an adult, it may suggest that a cancer, especially one starting in the digestive system, may be present. Tests for this substance may help in finding out if a colorectal cancer has recurred after treatment.
Glossary Terms: 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 | 51-57
