Medical Oncology Glossary

Cancer treatment designed to completely destroy or remove target tissue, typically through high-dose radiation or surgic...

A type of cancer that forms in mucus-secreting glands throughout the body.

Additional cancer treatment given after primary treatment to reduce risk of recurrence.

Surgical connection between two structures, particularly bowel segments following tumor resection.

The formation of new blood vessels that tumors stimulate to support their growth.

Measurable biological indicator used to assess disease state or treatment response.

A form of radiation therapy where radioactive sources are placed directly inside or adjacent to the tumor.

A genetic alteration in the BRAF gene commonly found in melanoma and certain other cancers, targetable with specific inh...

Tumor suppressor genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome; mutations significantly increase c...

Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1, a gene that regulates cancer cell invasion and metastatic potential.

Severe weight loss and muscle wasting syndrome commonly seen in advanced cancer patients.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy; a personalized immunotherapy using genetically modified patient T cells to tar...

Carcinoembryonic antigen, a tumor marker used primarily for monitoring colorectal cancer.

Immunotherapy drugs that block immune checkpoint proteins, allowing T cells to attack cancer cells more effectively.

Cell-free DNA fragments released by tumors into the bloodstream, used for non-invasive monitoring and genomic profiling.

Disappearance of all detectable cancer following treatment.

Intensive treatment given after initial remission to eliminate residual cancer cells.

Complete response - complete disappearance of all detectable cancer.

Standardized system for grading adverse events in cancer clinical trials.

Systemic inflammatory response caused by immune activation from certain cancer treatments.

Reduction in the number of one or more types of blood cells below normal levels.

Surgical removal of as much tumor tissue as possible, typically performed for ovarian or peritoneal cancers.

Describes agents or treatments that are toxic to cells, particularly cancer cells.

Surgical procedure to remove the bulk of tumor mass when complete resection is not possible.