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This glossary has been abridged from the National Cancer Institute’s Directory of Cancer Terms
Not normal. Describes a state, condition, or behavior that is unusual or different from what is considered normal. In medicine, an abnormal lesion or growth in or on the body may be benign (not cancer), precancerous or premalignant (likely to become cancer), or malignant (cancer). Also called atypical.
A measure of the risk of a certain event happening. In cancer research, absolute risk is the likelihood that a person who is free of a specific type of cancer at a given age will develop that cancer over a certain period of time. For example, a woman 35 years of age, with no known risk factors for breast cancer, has an absolute risk of getting breast cancer over a lifetime of 90 years of about 13%, meaning she has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer. This also means the chance that she will never have breast cancer is about 87%, or 7 in 8.
In cancer prevention clinical trials, a study that focuses on finding out whether actions people take can prevent cancer.
Pain that comes on quickly, can be severe, but lasts a relatively short time.
A type of immunity that develops when a person’s immune system responds to a foreign substance or microorganism, such as after an infection or vaccination. Adaptive immunity involves specialized immune cells and antibodies that attack and destroy foreign invaders and are able to prevent disease in the future by remembering what those substances look like and mounting a new immune response. Adaptive immunity may last for a few weeks or months or for a long time, sometimes for a person’s entire life.
Cancer that is unlikely to be cured or controlled with treatment. The cancer may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body. Treatment may be given to help shrink the tumor, slow the growth of cancer cells, or relieve symptoms.
In medicine, describes a tumor or disease that forms, grows, or spreads quickly. It may also describe treatment that is more severe or intense than usual.
A type of leukemia (blood cancer) that comes on quickly and is fast growing. In ALL, there are too many lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) in the blood and bone marrow. Also called acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Having to do with reducing inflammation.
Nausea and vomiting that may occur before a chemotherapy treatment session begins in a patient who has had chemotherapy before. ANV is caused by triggers, such as the sights, smells, or sounds of the treatment room. For example, a patient who smells an alcohol swab when starting chemotherapy may later become nauseous or vomit at the smell of an alcohol swab. The more chemotherapy sessions a patient has, the more likely it is that ANV will occur.
An initial measurement of a condition that is taken early and used for comparison over time to look for changes. For example, the size of a tumor will be measured before treatment (baseline) and then afterwards to see if the treatment had an effect.
A type of clinical trial that tests how well a new drug or other substance works in patients who have different types of cancer that all have the same mutation or biomarker. In basket trials, patients all receive the same treatment that targets the specific mutation or biomarker found in their cancer. Basket trials may allow new drugs to be tested and approved more quickly than traditional clinical trials. Basket trials may also be useful for studying rare cancers and cancers with rare genetic changes. Also called bucket trial.
A term used to describe the process by which the results of research done in the laboratory are directly used to develop new ways to treat patients.
Not cancer. Benign tumors may grow larger but do not spread to other parts of the body. Also called nonmalignant.
Treatment that is accepted by medical experts as a proper treatment for a certain type of disease and that is widely used by healthcare professionals. Also called standard medical care, standard of care and standard therapy.
A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.
Primary bone cancer is cancer that forms in cells of the bone. Some types of primary bone cancer are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and chondrosarcoma. Secondary bone cancer is cancer that spreads to the bone from another part of the body (such as the prostate, breast, or lung).
A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that begins in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes too many abnormal blood cells to be made. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.
A type of treatment in which a patient’s T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T cells are taken from a patient’s blood. Then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient’s cancer cells is added to the T cells in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion. CAR T cell therapy is used to treat certain blood cancers and it is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Also called chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
A study that compares two groups of people: those with the disease or condition under study (cases) and a very similar group of people who do not have the disease or condition (controls). Researchers study the medical and lifestyle histories of the people in each group to learn what factors may be associated with the disease or condition. For example, one group may have been exposed to a particular substance that the other was not. Also called retrospective study.
Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, or infusion, or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or biologic therapy.
A level of sedation in which a person is in a deep sleep, loses feeling and is hard to wake up. Deep sedation is caused by special drugs and is used to help relieve anxiety during certain medical or surgical procedures. Oxygen may also be given to help the patient breathe and drugs that relieve pain may be given at the same time. The patient usually does not remember the procedure.
The process of identifying a disease, condition, or injury from its signs and symptoms. A health history, physical exam and tests, such as blood tests, imaging tests and biopsies, may be used to help make a diagnosis.
In biology, describes the processes by which immature cells become mature cells with specific functions. In cancer, this describes how much or how little tumor tissue looks like the normal tissue it came from. Well-differentiated cancer cells look more like normal cells and tend to grow and spread more slowly than poorly differentiated or undifferentiated cancer cells. Differentiation is used in tumor grading systems, which are different for each type of cancer.
The molecule inside cells that contains the genetic information needed for a person and most other organisms to develop and grow and is passed from one generation to the next. DNA is made up of two strands that twist into the shape of a spiral ladder called a double helix. Each strand has a backbone that is made up of sugar and phosphate molecules that attach to one of four bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The bases pair up with one another (A with T, and G with C) to form chemical bonds, which act like rungs on a ladder. This holds the two strands of DNA together. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid.
A study that compares large groups of people instead of individuals for differences in things such as cancer rates. The groups can differ by location (for example, city, county, or country). They can also differ by time (a few days, years, or decades). Groups can be immigrants (compared with people who are native to the country) or people with different types of jobs.
A type of cancer that forms in bone or soft tissue. Also called peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor and pPNET.
In clinical trials, refers to a drug (including a new drug, dose, combination, or route of administration) or procedure that has undergone basic laboratory testing and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be tested in human subjects. A drug or procedure may be approved by the FDA for use in one disease or condition, but be considered experimental in other diseases or conditions. Also called investigational.
A genetically related (blood-related) parent, sibling (brother or sister), or child.
A radiology test that scans the body from the chin to below the hips. This is done to look for early signs of disease in people who have no symptoms. There are currently no proven benefits to this procedure and it may be harmful as people are exposed to relatively high levels of radiation during the test.
An international set of guidelines that helps make sure that the results of a clinical trial are reliable and that the patients are protected. GCP covers the way a clinical trial is designed, conducted, performed, monitored, audited, recorded, analyzed, and reported.
An experimental treatment that adds a new gene or replaces or repairs a mutated (changed) gene inside the body’s cells to help prevent or treat certain diseases, such as cancer. Gene therapy may also be used to train the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells or to protect healthy cells from the effects of cancer treatment.
The study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.
A fast-growing type of central nervous system tumor that forms from glial (supportive) tissue of the brain and spinal cord and has cells that look very different from normal cells. Glioblastoma usually affects the brain more often than the spinal cord. Also called GBM, glioblastoma multiforme, and grade IV astrocytoma.
Basic Science Research Grants
(up to $150,000 per year, for up to 3 years) These grants fund basic science, translational and/or clinical state of the art pediatric cancer research initiatives. These grants fund work that is the basis for childhood cancer research, helping to move science in the direction of improved treatments and eventually finding a cure. They are designed to move hypothesis-driven research into the clinic providing support for important preclinical projects that are necessary to move a study from the pre-clinical arena into a clinical trial. Applicants must be a PhD and/or MD.
Translational Research Grants
(up to $75,000 per year, for up to 2 years) These grants fund new research protocols and therapies that hold promise for improved outcomes and accelerates cures from the laboratory bench to the bedside of children and teens with high-risk cancers. This Grant is given to single or multi-institutional programs that involve open cancer clinical trials or consortia and implement new approaches to therapy. Applicants must be a PhD and/or MD.
Emerging Investigator Fellowship Grants
(up to $50,000 for one year) These grants are designed to support Post-Doctoral Fellowships and Clinical Investigator training for emerging pediatric cancer researchers to pursue exciting research ideas. Applicants must have completed two years of their fellowship or not more than two years as a junior faculty instructor or assistant professor at the start of the award period. These grants encourage and cultivate the best and brightest researchers of the future.
Donor Designated Grant Programs
These grants fund projects in communities or regions local to the specific donor or fundraising activity. Outside contributing organizations, fundraisers and donors work with the Foundation to identify a specific project and/or specific doctor, focus on a specific disease type, facility or awareness program. Grants can be for any specific amount as designated by the donor or contributing organization.
A type of tumor that begins in the cells that give rise to sperm or eggs. Germ cell tumors can occur almost anywhere in the body and can be either benign or malignant.
Goals for the expected sizes of infants and children and activities they should be able to do at specific ages, such as sit, stand, play, speak, think, and interact with others.
In medicine, loss of blood from damaged blood vessels. A hemorrhage may be internal or external and usually involves a lot of bleeding in a short time.
A term used to describe cells and tissue that look abnormal under a microscope. High-grade cancer cells tend to grow and spread more quickly than low-grade cancer cells. Cancer grade may be used to help plan treatment and determine prognosis. High-grade cancers usually have a worse prognosis than low-grade cancers and may need treatment right away or treatment that is more aggressive (intensive).
Cancer that is likely to recur (come back), or spread.
An abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination that is used to treat non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin Lymphomas that have come back and do not respond to other treatments. It includes the drugs ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide phosphate. Also called ICE regimen.
The way the body defends itself against substances it sees as harmful or foreign. In an immune response, the immune system recognizes the antigens (usually proteins) on the surface of substances or microorganisms, such as bacteria or viruses, and attacks and destroys, or tries to destroy, them. Cancer cells also have antigens on their surface. Sometimes, the immune system sees these antigens as foreign and mounts an immune response against them. This helps the body fight cancer.
The decreased ability of the body to fight infections and other diseases.
A type of therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. Some types of immunotherapy only target certain cells of the immune system. Others affect the immune system in a general way. Types of immunotherapy include cytokines, vaccines, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and some monoclonal antibodies.
The number of new cases of a disease diagnosed each year.
A rare form of childhood leukemia in which cancer cells often spread into tissues such as the skin, lung, and intestines.
A condition in which the kidneys stop working and are not able to remove waste and extra water from the blood or keep body chemicals in balance. Acute or severe kidney failure happens suddenly (for example, after an injury) and may be treated and cured. Chronic kidney failure develops over many years, may be caused by conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes and cannot be cured. Chronic kidney failure may lead to total and long-lasting kidney failure, called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). A person in ESRD needs dialysis (the process of cleaning the blood by passing it through a membrane or filter) or a kidney transplant. Also called renal failure.
Research done in a laboratory. A laboratory study may use special equipment and cells or animals to find out if a drug, procedure, or treatment is likely to be useful in humans. It may also be a part of a clinical trial, such as when blood or other samples are collected. These may be used to measure the effect of a drug, procedure, or treatment on the body.
A surgical procedure that uses the cutting power of a laser beam to make bloodless cuts in tissue or to remove a surface lesion such as a tumor.
A term used to describe cancer that is far along in its growth and has spread to the lymph nodes or other places in the body.
Cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream.
A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, conventional medicine, orthodox medicine, and Western medicine.
Treatment that is given to help keep cancer from coming back after it has disappeared following the initial therapy. It may include treatment with drugs, vaccines, or antibodies that kill cancer cells, and it may be given for a long time.
A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Malignant cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of malignancy. Carcinoma is a malignancy that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a malignancy that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a malignancy that begins in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes too many abnormal blood cells to be made. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are malignancies that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are malignancies that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called cancer.
The highest dose of a drug or treatment that does not cause unacceptable side effects. The maximum tolerated dose is determined in clinical trials by testing increasing doses on different groups of people until the highest dose with acceptable side effects is found. Also called MTD.
A fast-growing type of cancer that forms in the cerebellum (the lower, back part of the brain). Medulloblastomas tend to spread through the cerebrospinal fluid to the spinal cord or to other parts of the brain. They may also spread to other parts of the body, but this is rare. Medulloblastomas are most common in children and young adults. They are a type of central nervous system embryonal tumor.
A form of cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). It may begin in a mole (skin melanoma), but can also begin in other pigmented tissues, such as in the eye or in the intestines.
In medicine, the rules and procedures for doing research and evaluating results.
Examination of data from a number of independent studies of the same subject, in order to determine overall trends.
In biology, the cells, molecules, and structures (such as blood vessels) that surround and support other cells and tissues. Abnormal cells, such as cancer cells, can change their microenvironment. Changes in the microenvironment can affect how cancer cells grow and spread. Studying the microenvironment may help researchers understand how cancer cells form and find new ways to treat cancer.
A branch of medicine that develops ways to diagnose and treat disease by understanding the way genes, proteins and other cellular molecules work. Molecular medicine is based on research that shows how certain genes, molecules and cellular functions may become abnormal in diseases such as cancer.
A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to target specific molecules that cancer cells need to survive and spread. Molecularly targeted therapies work in different ways to treat cancer. Some stop cancer cells from growing by interrupting signals that cause them to grow and divide, stopping signals that help form blood vessels, delivering cell-killing substances to cancer cells, or starving cancer cells of hormones they need to grow. Other molecularly targeted therapies help the immune system kill cancer cells or directly cause cancer cell death. Most molecularly targeted therapies are either small-molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies. Also called targeted therapy.
A series of questions and tests to check brain, spinal cord and nerve function. The exam checks a person’s mental status, coordination, ability to walk and how well the muscles, sensory systems and deep tendon reflexes work.
A situation in which a patient develops side effects or symptoms that can occur with a drug or other therapy just because the patient believes they may occur. For example, in a clinical trial, patients who are not given an active treatment, but are told what side effects the active treatment may cause, may have the same side effects as the patients who are given the active treatment, only because they expect them to occur.
In medicine, watching a patient’s condition but not giving treatment unless symptoms appear or change.
A branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. It includes medical oncology (the use of chemotherapy, hormone therapy and other drugs to treat cancer), radiation oncology (the use of radiation therapy to treat cancer), and surgical oncology (the use of surgery and other procedures to treat cancer).
A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, and Western medicine.
The point at which a person becomes aware of pain.
Care given to improve the quality of life and help reduce pain in people who have a serious or life-threatening disease, such as cancer. The goal of palliative care is to prevent or treat, as early as possible, the symptoms of the disease and the side effects caused by treatment of the disease. It also attends to the psychological, social and spiritual problems caused by the disease or its treatment. For cancer, palliative care may include therapies, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, to remove, shrink, or slow the growth of a tumor that is causing pain. It may also include family and caregiver support. Palliative care may be given with other treatments from the time of diagnosis until the end of life.
A term used to describe cancer that can be felt by touch, usually present in lymph nodes, skin, or other organs of the body such as the liver or colon.
A doctor who has special training in identifying diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.
A doctor who has special training in diagnosing and treating children with cancer.
A tube inserted through the wall of the abdomen directly into the stomach. It allows air and fluid to leave the stomach and can be used to give drugs and liquids, including liquid food, to the patient. Giving food through a PEG tube is a type of enteral nutrition. Also called gastrostomy tube and percutaneous endoscopic tube.
A person who is trained and licensed to practice medicine. Physicians help prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage injuries, diseases and other conditions. There are many different types of physicians, including internists, pediatricians, psychiatrists, and surgeons.
A health professional who is licensed to do certain medical procedures under the guidance of a doctor. A physician assistant may take medical histories, do physical exams, take blood and urine samples, care for wounds, and give injections and immunizations. Also called PA.
A device used to draw blood and give treatments, including intravenous fluids, blood transfusions, or drugs such as chemotherapy and antibiotics. The port is placed under the skin, usually in the right side of the chest. It is attached to a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) that is guided (threaded) into a large vein above the right side of the heart called the superior vena cava. A needle is inserted through the skin into the port to draw blood or give fluids and other treatments. A port may stay in place for many weeks, months, or years. Also called port-a-cath.
A form of medicine that uses information about a person’s own genes or proteins to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease. In cancer, precision medicine uses specific information about a person’s tumor to help make a diagnosis, plan treatment, find out how well treatment is working, or make a prognosis. Examples of precision medicine include using targeted therapies to treat specific types of cancer cells, such as HER2-positive breast cancer cells, or using tumor marker testing to help diagnose cancer. Also called personalized medicine.
The overall enjoyment of life. Many clinical trials assess the effects of cancer and its treatment on the quality of life. These studies measure aspects of an individual’s sense of well-being and ability to carry out activities of daily living.
The return of a disease or the signs and symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement. Relapse also refers to returning to the use of an addictive substance or behavior, such as cigarette smoking.
Energy released in the form of particle or electromagnetic waves. Common sources of radiation include radon gas, cosmic rays from outer space, medical x-rays, and energy given off by a radioisotope (unstable form of a chemical element that releases radiation as it breaks down and becomes more stable). Radiation can damage cells. It is used to diagnose and treat some types of cancer.
Serious illness caused by being exposed to high doses of certain types of radiation, usually over a short period of time. Symptoms of radiation sickness usually occur right after exposure but they may happen over time, and they may come and go. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, bleeding, hair loss, swelling, itching and redness of the skin, and other skin problems. Very large doses of radiation may cause death. Also called acute radiation sickness, acute radiation syndrome, radiation poisoning, and radiation sickness syndrome.
A substance used to carry out a laboratory test. Reagents may be used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure, or make other substances.
Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence.
A scientific study of nature that sometimes includes processes involved in health and disease. For example, clinical trials are research studies that involve people. These studies may be related to new ways to screen, prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. They may also study certain outcomes and certain groups of people by looking at data collected in the past or future.
Treatment that is given after the cancer has not responded to other treatments.
A type of cancer that begins in bone or in the soft tissues of the body, including cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, fibrous tissue, or other connective or supportive tissue. Different types of sarcoma are based on where the cancer forms. For example, osteosarcoma forms in bone, liposarcoma forms in fat, and rhabdomyosarcoma forms in muscle. Treatment and prognosis depend on the type and grade of the cancer (how abnormal the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly the cancer is likely to grow and spread). Sarcoma occurs in both adults and children.
A type of test that makes detailed pictures of areas inside the body. A scan may also refer to the picture that gets made during the test. Scans may be used to help diagnose disease, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working. There are many different types of scans, including computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and nuclear medicine scans (such as bone scans and liver scans). CT scans are done with an x-ray machine linked to a computer. MRI scans are done with radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer. Nuclear medicine scans are done with small amounts of radioactive substances that are injected into the body and a special machine that detects the radioactive substance.
A group of doctors, scientists, and other experts that reviews the detailed plan of a clinical trial for scientific quality and correct study design. There is a scientific review committee at every health care facility that does clinical research. Most clinical trials are reviewed by the scientific review committee before they go to the facility’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval. Also called scientific review panel.
Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Since screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (for breast cancer), colonoscopy (for colon cancer) and the Pap test and HPV tests (for cervical cancer). Screening can also include doing a genetic test to check for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease.
A term used to describe cancer that has spread (metastasized) from the place where it first started to another part of the body. Secondary cancers are the same type of cancer as the original (primary) cancer. For example, cancer cells may spread from the breast (primary cancer) to form new tumors in the lung (secondary cancer). The cancer cells in the lung are just like the ones in the breast. Also called secondary tumor.
A type of white blood cell. T cells are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. They help protect the body from infection and may help fight cancer. Also called T lymphocyte and thymocyte.
A type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to target specific molecules that cancer cells need to survive and spread. Targeted therapies work in different ways to treat cancer. Some stop cancer cells from growing by interrupting signals that cause them to grow and divide, stopping signals that help form blood vessels, delivering cell-killing substances to cancer cells, or starving cancer cells of hormones they need to grow. Other targeted therapies help the immune system kill cancer cells or directly cause cancer cell death. Most targeted therapies are either small-molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies. Also called molecularly targeted therapy.
A person trained in the techniques (methods) and skills of a profession. For example, a mammogram technician is trained to perform mammograms.
Cancer that cannot be cured and leads to death. Also called end-stage cancer.
An element found in very small amounts in a given substance. Organisms need certain trace elements to survive.
A computer picture of areas inside the body created by high-energy sound waves. The sound waves are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of the body tissues on a computer screen. An ultrasonogram may be used to help diagnose disease, such as cancer. It may also be used during pregnancy to check the fetus (unborn baby) and during medical procedures, such as biopsies. Also called sonogram.
A type of clinical trial that tests how well new drugs or other substances work in patients who have the same type of cancer but different gene mutations (changes) or biomarkers. In umbrella trials, patients receive treatment based on the specific mutation or biomarker found in their cancer. The drugs being tested may change during the trial, as new targets and drugs are found. Umbrella trials may allow new drugs to be tested and approved more quickly than traditional clinical trials.
A term used to describe cells or tissues that do not have specialized (“mature”) structures or functions. Undifferentiated cancer cells often grow and spread quickly.
Having to do with one side of the body.
Any change in the DNA sequence of a cell. Variants may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or they may be caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment. Variants can be harmful, beneficial, or have no effect. If they occur in cells that make eggs or sperm, they can be inherited; if variants occur in other types of cells, they are not inherited. Certain variants may lead to cancer or other diseases. A variant is sometimes called a mutation.
Treatment using a virus that has been changed in the laboratory to find and destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells. It is a type of targeted therapy. Also called oncolytic virotherapy, oncolytic virus therapy and virotherapy.
A term used to describe a person’s ability to live, grow, and develop. Vitality also refers to having energy and being vigorous and active. Being ill or being treated for a disease, such as cancer, may lessen a person’s vitality.
Closely watching a patient’s condition but not giving treatment unless symptoms appear or change. Watchful waiting is sometimes used in conditions that progress slowly. It is also used when the risks of treatment are greater than the possible benefits. During watchful waiting, patients may be given certain tests and exams. It is a type of expectant management.
A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the kidney, and may spread to the lungs, liver, or nearby lymph nodes. Wilms’ tumor usually occurs in children younger than 5 years old.
A type of radiation therapy that uses high-energy radiation from x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
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