Follow this link to the National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms. This easy to use online dictionary contains more than 3,500 terms related to cancer and medicine.

An abridged glossary containing definitions of terms and phrases you may encounter during medical treatment.

Adenocarcinoma Cancer that starts in glandular tissue i.e., breast, lung, thyroid, colon, cervix and pancreas.

Adjuvant chemotherapy One or more drugs used in cancer treatment after surgery or radiation to help prevent recurrence or metastasis.

Antiemetic Medicine for curbing nausea and vomiting.

Benign A swelling or growth that is not cancerous and does not spread and usually is not life-threatening.

Biopsy A procedure in which tissue or fluid is taken and examined with a microscope.

Carcinogen An agent that initiates or promotes cancer.

Carcinoma Cancer that originates in the epithelial tissue, 80% to 90% of cancers.

Chemotherapy Treatment of cancer with drugs. Certain types of cancers, such as Hodgkin's disease, and some non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and leukemias respond well to chemotherapy. Side effects are described in patients' informed consent forms.

Clinical trials Treatment for cancer with new experimental drugs or procedures. You must give an informed consent. Clinical trials provide opportunity for treatment that may be more effective or not yet widely available. The National Cancer Institute provides information at 800-4-CANCER.

Estrogen receptor test Test on breast tissue to determine if a tumor is sensitive to the hormone estrogen.

Grading A way of describing the aggressiveness of cancer cells.

Hospice care Care offering comfort, pain control and emotional support for those with terminal illnesses. It is usually provided in the home or in a special hospital or unit of a hospital.

Immunotherapy Use of highly purified proteins to activate the immune system.

In Situ Early stage cancer confined to the place it started.

Lymph nodes Bean-shaped organs in the lymphatic system, the system that fights infections. Cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system. Removing and examining lymph nodes near the tumor can help find the extent of disease and help classify tumors by stage.

Lymphedema Swelling of a limb as a result of damage to lymphatic vessels or removal of lymph nodes.

Lymphoma Tumor starting in lymphatic tissue (neck, groin or armpit).

Mastectomy Surgical removal of the breast.

Melanoma Highly aggressive form of skin cancer.

Metastasis Spread of cancer from a primary tumor to other parts of the body.

Myeloma Cancer of plasma cells in bone marrow.

Oncologist Doctor specializing in cancer. <>

Palliative care Therapy for relieving symptoms and providing comfort, rather than prolonging life.

Primary tumor Site where tumor first appeared.

Prognosis Prediction of what might happen in a specific case.

Rad Unit of measurement that describes a dose or radiation absorbed by a body. The average American receives .36 rads a year, half of which comes from natural sources.

Recurrence Return of cancer cells after remission.

Regression Growing smaller or disappearing.

Remission Disappearance of cancer symptoms.

Sarcoma Malignant tumor arising in the bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue or muscle.

Stem cell All blood cells arising in the bone marrow.

Survivor Anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis, whether treatment is being received or has been completed.

Taxol Cancer drug from the Pacific Yew tree used to treat ovarian cancer.

Terminal In cancer, very limited life expectancy.

Tissue Group of cells.

Tumor A benign or malignant abnormal mass of tissue.