Precision Oncology Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
tumor microenvironment TME
The cellular and molecular ecosystem surrounding cancer cells, including immune cells, stromal cells, blood vessels, and signaling molecules that influence tumor behavior and treatment response.
fusion gene
A hybrid gene created by chromosomal rearrangements that joins portions of two different genes, often driving cancer dev...
gene panel testing
Targeted sequencing of a predefined set of cancer-relevant genes to detect clinically significant alterations.
germline variant
A hereditary genetic alteration present in reproductive cells and inherited from parents.
HER2-low
A breast cancer subtype with low HER2 protein expression, recently recognized as a distinct therapeutic target.
homologous recombination deficiency
A genomic phenotype characterized by impaired DNA double-strand break repair, creating vulnerability to PARP inhibitors.
hotspot mutation
A genetic alteration occurring at a specific genomic location with high frequency across multiple patients, often repres...
HRD score
A genomic assay score measuring homologous recombination deficiency to predict PARP inhibitor sensitivity.
immunohistochemistry
A laboratory technique using antibodies to detect specific proteins in tissue samples, crucial for cancer diagnosis and...
liquid biopsy
A minimally invasive test that analyzes circulating tumor DNA or cells in blood samples.
loss of heterozygosity
The loss of one functional copy of a gene in cancer cells, often affecting tumor suppressor genes and following Knudson'...
microsatellite instability
A genomic phenotype characterized by widespread mutations in repetitive DNA sequences due to defective mismatch repair.
microsatellite instability-low
A tumor phenotype characterized by low-level defects in DNA mismatch repair, falling between microsatellite stable and m...
microsatellite stable
A tumor classification indicating intact mismatch repair function, typically associated with lower immunotherapy respons...
minimal residual disease
Undetectable or very low levels of cancer cells remaining after treatment, monitored through sensitive molecular techniq...
mismatch repair deficiency
Loss of cellular DNA repair function that increases mutation rates and predicts immunotherapy response.
molecular residual disease
Cancer cells detectable only through sensitive molecular techniques after apparent complete clinical response to treatme...
molecular residual disease monitoring
Detection and quantification of minimal tumor burden using molecular techniques like circulating tumor DNA analysis afte...
molecular tumor board
A multidisciplinary team that reviews complex genomic data to guide precision cancer treatment decisions.
molecular tumor classification
A systematic categorization of cancers based on genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic profiles rather than traditional h...
MSI-H
Microsatellite instability-high status indicating defective DNA mismatch repair in tumors.
multi-omic integration analysis
A comprehensive approach combining genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data to understand tumor biology.
mutation signature
A characteristic pattern of mutations that reflects specific mutagenic processes active during tumor development.
NCCN Guidelines
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network for cancer care.
neoantigen load
Quantitative measure of tumor-specific antigens generated by somatic mutations that can trigger immune responses.