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Genomic Health - Oncology glossary Category: Health and Medicine > Oncology Date & country: 27/09/2013, USA Words: 94

Wire Localization Biopsy
A type of biopsy performed when an abnormality can be seen on a mammogram but cannot be felt. A wire localization biopsy utilizes a mammogram to locate and identify the breast abnormality, after which a biopsy is performed.

Ulcerative colitis
A disease where sores, or ulcers, form in the top layers of the lining of the large intestine. Inflammation usually occurs in the lower part of the colon and rectum.

Tumor Stage
This is a number that refers to the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread. Tumor stage, expressed as the tumor T score, is one of many factors that, when used in combination, can indicate how aggressive a patient

Tumor Grade
The characterization of a tumor based on how similar in appearance the cancer cells are to normal cells, and on how many of those tumor cells are dividing. Tumor grade is one of many factors that, when used in combination, can indicate how aggressive a patient

Tumor
Tissue growth where the cells that make up the tissue have multiplied uncontrollably. A tumor can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Tamoxifen
A medication that interferes with the activity of the hormone estrogen to prevent it from fueling the growth of breast cancer. Tamoxifen is used to treat women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Treatment Monitoring
An ongoing and frequent assessment by the medical team, during the time of treatment, to monitor how the patient is tolerating the treatment and how the cancer is responding.

TAILORx
Although the Oncotype DX test has already been approved for use, research involving the test is ongoing. The Oncotype DX test plays a key role in a current clinical trial, the Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (Rx), known as TAILORx. Participants will be divided into different treatment groups depending on their Recurrence Score&...

Syndrome
A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease.

Synchronous cancer
Multiple primary cancers occurring simultaneously.

Stage IIIB Breast Cancer
The tumor is any size and has extended to other tissues near the breast; the tumor may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IV Breast Cancer
Cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other locations in the body, such as the lungs, liver, bones or brain.

Staging
A classification system for breast cancer based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, and whether the cancer has spread to other sites in the body (metastasis).

Surveillance/Follow-Up
An ongoing assessment by a patient

Stage IIB Breast Cancer
The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, or the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters in diameter and has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage IIIA Breast Cancer
The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters in diameter and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, or the tumor is any size and has spread more extensively in the lymph nodes.

Sigmoidoscopy
Inspection through a fiber-optic scope of the inside of the sigmoid colon, which is part of the large intestine that empties into the rectum. The test is useful for diagnosing the cause of diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain, and for identifying cancerous tissue.

Stage I Breast Cancer
The tumor is up to 2 centimeters in diameter and has not spread beyond the breast.

Stage IIA Breast Cancer
The tumor is up to 2 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes under the arm, or the tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters and has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Screening
(for colon cancer) Looking for masses or suspicious areas in colon tissue on a periodic basis.

Screening
(for breast cancer) Looking for masses or suspicious areas in breast tissue on a periodic basis.

Sarcoma
A malignant tumor growing from connective tissues, such as cartilage, fat, muscle, or bone.

Resection
Surgery to remove a cancer and some surrounding tissue.

Recurrence
The return of cancer after treatment. This can be either local (at the site of the original tumor), or distant (beyond the original site).

PSA
(Prostate-specific antigen) A protein exclusively produced by the prostate. Increased levels of PSA may be found in the blood of men who have prostate cancer or other prostate diseases such as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or inflammation of the prostate.

Radiation Therapy
The use of radiation to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be used before or after surgery, and is sometimes used in combination with chemotherapy. Radiation is used for local control of the cancer at the site of the tumor.

Predispose
To make more likely or render susceptible.

PR
(Progesterone Receptor) A feature (protein) that may be present on certain cells to which progesterone molecules can attach. The term

Oncology
The study and treatment of cancer.

Pathologist
Physician who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

Pathology Report
A report ordered by authorized healthcare professionals that describes what was found in tissue removed from the patient

Polyethylene glycol
An electrolyte-based laxative solution used to clean the bowel before a gastrointestinal exam.

Polyp
A usually nonmalignant growth or tumor protruding from the mucous lining of an organ, such as the colon. Colon polyps are fleshy growths that occur on the inside (the lining) of the large intestine.

Oncologist
A physician who specializes in the study and treatment of tumors.

Oncotype DX
The Oncotype DX breast, colon, and prostate cancer assays are unique diagnostic tests that help patients and their physicians make informed, individualized treatment decisions. To learn more about the Oncotype DX tests for DCIS, breast, colon and prostate cancer please visit the Oncotype DX product website or call Tel: +1 (888) ONCOTYPE

Node-Positive Breast Cancer
Breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes (most commonly the axillary lymph nodes under the arms).

Node-Negative Breast Cancer
Breast cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Newly Diagnosed
A term used to describe breast cancer that has recently been identified.

Metastasize
A term that is used to refer to cancer spreading from its site of origin to other sites in the body.

Metastatic Breast Cancer
Breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and local lymph nodes to other parts of the body such as the lungs, liver, brain or bones or other tissues.

Molecular Diagnostics
The measurement of DNA, RNA, proteins or metabolites to detect genotypes, mutations or biochemical changes.

Mastectomy
A surgical procedure to remove all or a large part of the breast.

Local Recurrence
The reappearance of cancer in the part of the body where it first occurred.

Lumpectomy
A surgical procedure that removes a localized mass of tissue, including the breast cancer tumor and a small amount of normal, non-cancerous tissue surrounding the tumor.

Malignant
Tending to be severe and become progressively worse; a malignant tumor is one that has the ability to invade and destroy nearby tissue and/or spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

In Situ
Non-invasive cancer in which abnormal cells are isolated within the lobes or milk ducts of the breast and have not spread to nearby tissue.

Invasive Breast Cancer
Cancer that has spread from where it started in the breast into surrounding, healthy tissue. Most invasive breast cancers start in the ducts (tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple). Invasive breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. Invasive breast cancer is also called infiltrating brea...

Human Genome Project
An international research and technology-development effort aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire genome of human beings.

Hormone Receptor
A protein on the surface of a tumor cell that binds to a certain hormone, activating tumor growth.

Hormonal Treatment
(Hormone Therapy) Medications used to reduce the effect of hormones in the body. In many cases of breast cancer, hormones can fuel the growth of breast cancer. Common hormonal therapies include tamoxifen and a newer class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors. Hormonal therapies are used to treat women with estrogen-receptor-posi...

Hand Foot Syndrome
(Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia) Also called hand-foot syndrome or hand-to-foot syndrome, Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia is a side effect, which can occur with several types of chemotherapy or biologic therapy drugs used to treat cancer. Leakage of the drug through the capillaries of the skin of the hands and feet can caus...

Genomics
The study of complex sets of genes, how they are expressed in cells (what their level of activity is), and the role they play in biology.

Genomic Test
A test that looks at groups of genes and how active they are. This activity can influence how a cancer is likely to grow and respond to treatment.

Genetics
The study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits, such as eye color or an increased chance of getting a certain disease, from parents to offspring.

Genome
The complete genetic material of a living thing.

Gastroenterologist
a physician who specializes in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Gastroenterology
The branch of medicine that focuses on the digestive system and its disorders.

Gene
The functional and physical units of inheritance that are passed from parents to their offspring. The genes found in normal breast tissue can change their

Gene Expression
The level of activity of a gene or group of genes.

Gene Expression Profile
A picture of the activity or expression of multiple genes from a single specimen.

Dysplasia
A term that refers to abnormal cells that have the potential to progress to cancer.

Early-Stage Breast Cancer
A term that can be used to describe stage I and II, lymph-node-negative breast cancer.

Endoscope
A long slender medical instrument for examining the interior of a bodily organ or performing minor surgery.

Endoscopy
Visual examination of a bodily orifice, canal or organ using an endoscope.

Distant Recurrence
The spread of cancer to parts of the body other than the place where the cancer first occurred. In breast cancer, the cancer can spread to the lungs, liver, brain or bones.

Dukes staging system
A system of staging rectal cancers developed by Cuthbert Duke in 1932. The original system had 3 stages but has been modified over time to include four stages with variations on two of the four stages.

Colorectal
Related to the colon and/or rectum.

Core Biopsy
A procedure which uses a needle to remove a small, intact sample of tissue from an identified breast mass in order to examine it and obtain a preliminary diagnosis.

Diagnosis
Identification of a condition, such as breast cancer, by its signs and symptoms and the results of laboratory tests or other examinations.

Clinically Validated
Determination that a test is accurate in determining the presence of, or predicting the risk for, a health condition or phenotype, including determination of sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values.

Colectomy
Surgical resection of all or part of the colon (also called the large intestine).

Colitis
inflammation of the colon. Colitis has many forms including ulcerative, Crohn

Colon polyp
A fleshy growth on the inside (the lining) of the colon.

Colonoscopy
Inspection through a fiber-optic scope of the inside of the colon.

Clinical Trial
A research study to test drugs, procedures or testing technologies to determine whether these are effective and/or safe.

Clinical Laboratory Services
The biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immuno-hematological, hematological, biophysical, cytological, pathological or other examination of materials derived from the human body for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of any disease or impairment of

Chromosome
A microscopically visible carrier of genetic information.

Carcinoma
Any malignant cancer that comes from epithelial cells. Carcinomas will invade surrounding tissue, and have the propensity to metastasize to the lymph nodes and beyond.

Carcinoma in situ
Epithelial tumor cells confined to the tissue of origin, without invasion through the basement membrane.

Chemotherapy
Treatment with cytotoxic drugs that destroy cancer cells (fast-growing cells). Chemotherapy may be used in addition to surgery, and is sometimes used in combination with other therapies such as radiation therapy or hormonal therapy.

Cancer
A condition in which abnormal cells divide without control or fail to die as part of a normal cell's lifecycle. Cancer cells can also invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

Cancer staging
The process of assigning a descriptor (usually numbers I to IV) of how much a cancer has spread in the body. Criteria for staging include: size of tumor, amount of tissue penetration, whether it has invaded adjacent organs, how many lymph

BRCA1 and BRCA2
Genes that normally help control cell growth. A person who inherits an altered version of the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene(s) has a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

Aromatase Inhibitor
A medication that reduces the amount of estrogen in the body. Aromatase inhibitors may be used to treat women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Barium enema
A barium enema is a series of x-rays of the lower gastrointestinal tract. The barium enema procedure consists of the insertion of barium (a radiolucent solution) to coat the lower gastrointestinal tract. The barium coats the lower gastrointestinal tract and x-rays are taken. On X-ray, areas in which the barium

Biopsy
A procedure where tumor tissue is removed from the body for laboratory examination to determine whether or not cancer is present. A biopsy can be performed using a needle to extract a small piece of tissue or as a surgical procedure to remove a larger piece of tissue.

Anaplastic
A term used to describe cancer cells that divide rapidly and have little or no resemblance to normal cells.

Anastomosis
The joining together of two ends of healthy bowel after diseased bowel has been cut out (resected) by the surgeon. This may be contrasted to a colostomy, when the bowel ends may be permanently diverted, or anastamosed at a later surgery.

Antigen
A substance that is recognized by the body as being foreign and, as such, can trigger an immune response.

Archived Tumor Sample
A tumor sample that has been routinely preserved and stored. Tumor tissue is commonly preserved for storage by being treated with a preservative called formalin and then embedded in paraffin (wax).

Adenocarcinoma
A cancerous tumor that arises in or resembles glandular tissue.

Adjunct agent
In cancer therapy, a drug or substance used in addition to the primary therapy.

Adjuvant chemotherapy
A term used to describe the role of chemotherapy relative to other cancer treatments. It is typically given alone or with radiation after surgical resection.

Adjuvant radiation therapy
The use of radiation after treatment in order to prevent a cancer from recurring.