Thoracic Oncology Glossary

The most common type of non-small cell lung cancer, arising from mucus-producing glandular cells.

Systemic treatment given after complete surgical resection to eliminate microscopic residual disease. Standard care for...

A chromosomal abnormality involving the ALK gene, found in approximately 5% of lung adenocarcinomas and targetable with...

Collapse or incomplete expansion of lung tissue, often seen with bronchial obstruction from tumors.

Surgical removal of two pulmonary lobes, typically performed when tumor involvement spans multiple lobes.

A specific genetic alteration in the BRAF gene found in a subset of lung adenocarcinomas, targetable with specific inhib...

Surgical connection between two ends of bronchus after resection of an intervening segment. Critical component of sleeve...

Cytological specimens obtained by brushing the bronchial wall during bronchoscopy for cancer diagnosis.

The cut edge of bronchus examined pathologically to ensure complete tumor removal. Critical for determining adequacy of...

A lung-sparing surgical technique that removes a tumor from the main bronchus while preserving distal lung tissue by rec...

Remaining portion of bronchus after surgical resection of lung tissue, prone to complications like dehiscence or infecti...

Bronchoscopic procedure using radiofrequency energy to reduce airway smooth muscle in severe asthma treatment. Not typic...

A former classification of lung adenocarcinoma now reclassified as adenocarcinoma in situ or minimally invasive adenocar...

A former histological classification for lung adenocarcinoma with distinctive growth patterns, now reclassified under th...

Surgical technique preserving lung tissue by reconstructing airways rather than performing larger resections.

A diagnostic procedure using a flexible or rigid scope to visualize the airways and obtain tissue samples.

Complex surgical procedure to rebuild the carina after resection of tumors involving the main bronchial bifurcation.

A complex surgical procedure involving removal of the carina (the bifurcation point of the main bronchi) with subsequent...

Accumulation of lymphatic fluid (chyle) in the pleural space, often occurring after thoracic surgery or from tumor compr...

DNA fragments shed by tumors into the bloodstream, used for liquid biopsy and monitoring treatment response in lung canc...

A radiological pattern of dense lung opacification that obscures vascular markings, often indicating pneumonia or tumor.

Circulating tumor DNA found in the bloodstream, used for non-invasive cancer monitoring and molecular profiling.

Abnormal cellular features observed on cytology that may indicate malignancy or premalignant conditions.

Research cooperative that developed the widely-used ECOG performance status scale for assessing cancer patients' functio...