Cancer A-Z

Adjuvant therapy is a medical term for a secondary form of treatment you receive for your cancer. Adjuvant therapy aims to reduce the likelihood of your cancer returning. Adjuvant therapies can include biological therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiotherapy.

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https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/adjuvant-therapy

If a doctor describes your cancer as ‘advanced’, they mean it has spread from where it started to another part of your body. Advanced cancers can not be cured.

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http://cancer.emedtv.com/cancer/what-is-advanced-cancer.html

A clinician may describe your cancer as ‘aggressive’, which means that it grows or spreads quickly. It’s not a medical term to describe the progress of your disease.

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https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/operations-tests-and-procedures/what-do-cancer-stages-and-grades-mean/

Biological therapies use living organisms, or laboratory-produced synthetic versions, to treat cancer. Biological therapies include immunotherapy, which stimulates the body’s immune system to act against cancer cells within the body. Other forms of biological therapy can include treatments to slow the growth and progress of tumours or introducing antibodies which can disrupt cancer cell activity.

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https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/bio-therapies-fact-sheet

Biological markers (biomarkers) allow scientists to capture what’s happening within a cell or an organism at any moment. By studying biomarkers within the body, scientists can diagnose, monitor and even predict the risk of diseases such as cancer developing.

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https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/biomarkers/index.cfm

During a biopsy, a small sample of tissue is taken from your lump (tumour) for analysis in a laboratory. A specialist doctor called a pathologist will examine the tissue sample to see if it contains cancerous cells.

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https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/cancer/cancer-terminology

The blood in our bodies is made up of a mixture of a liquid called plasma and three types of blood cells. Red blood cells transport oxygen to tissues; white blood cells fight infections; platelets help stop the blood from clotting.

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https://www.webmd.com/heart/anatomy-picture-of-blood#1

The bloodstream is a medical term used to describe the blood flow around the body.

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https://www.webmd.com/heart/anatomy-picture-of-blood#1

Brain and spinal cord cancers are caused by abnormal growth of tissue inside the skull or spinal column. They are also known as central nervous system cancers.

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https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/what-is-cancer

Cancer isn’t a single condition, but a name given to over 200 different forms of the disease.

Cancer begins when the cells within the body begin to change abnormally. Instead of dividing, cancer cells within the body continue to grow.

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https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/

Cancer nurse specialists are nurses who have highly developed clinical skills. They provide case management, clinical guidance and mental health support to patients. They work closely with patients, keeping them informed and in control of their treatment.

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https://www.nursinginpractice.com/role-cancer-specialist-nurse

Carcinogens are things that are known to cause cancer. Common carcinogens that can cause disease include tobacco smoke and ultraviolet rays. Exposure to carcinogens doesn’t always cause cancer. Your risk of developing cancer depends on factors such as genetics, the frequency of exposure to the carcinogen and the method of exposure.

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https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/general-info/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens.html