Cancer Biology Glossary

Cancer staging determination based on histopathologic examination of surgically resected tissue specimens.

A protein that helps cancer cells evade immune system detection, commonly tested to predict immunotherapy response.

A standardized measure of a cancer patient's general well-being and ability to carry out daily activities.

An immune checkpoint receptor on T cells that inhibits immune responses when activated.

The length of time during and after treatment that a cancer patient lives without disease progression or death.

Apparent tumor growth on imaging that represents immune infiltration rather than true disease progression.

Inflammatory reaction in previously irradiated tissue triggered by subsequent chemotherapy or other systemic agents.

Computational approach that extracts quantitative features from medical imaging to characterize tumor phenotypes and pre...

Standardized guidelines for measuring tumor response to treatment in clinical trials and practice.

Cancer that does not respond to initial treatment or stops responding during therapy, indicating resistance to current t...

Cancer treatment given after initial therapy has failed, typically involving more intensive or alternative therapeutic a...

A surgical procedure to identify and remove the first lymph node(s) that cancer cells are most likely to spread to from...

A precise radiation technique that delivers high-dose radiation to small, well-defined tumors in few fractions.

Therapeutic strategy where drugs target pathways that become essential for survival when cancer cells have specific gene...

The dosage range of a cancer treatment where maximum efficacy is achieved with acceptable toxicity levels.

The most widely used cancer staging system that classifies tumors based on primary tumor size, lymph node involvement, a...

The total amount of cancer in a patient's body, often measured by tumor size, number of lesions, or biomarker levels.

State where cancer cells remain viable but non-proliferative for extended periods, potentially contributing to late recu...

A pathological assessment of how abnormal cancer cells appear under microscopy compared to normal cells.

Genetic and phenotypic diversity within a tumor or between tumors in the same patient.

Immune cells that have migrated into tumor tissue and can influence cancer progression and treatment response.

An acute metabolic emergency caused by massive tumor cell death and release of intracellular contents into circulation.

A measurable substance in blood, urine, or tissue that may indicate the presence of cancer or monitor treatment response...

The cellular environment surrounding a tumor, including immune cells, blood vessels, and supporting tissues.