Thoracic Oncology Glossary

Inflammation of lung tissue that can occur as a side effect of radiation therapy or immunotherapy in thoracic oncology p...

Persistent escape of air from the lung surface through chest tubes after thoracic surgery. Common complication requiring...

A round or oval-shaped opacity in the lung up to 3 cm in diameter, requiring evaluation for malignancy.

Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, standardized guidelines for measuring treatment response in cancer patient...

A chromosomal translocation involving the RET gene found in lung adenocarcinomas, creating fusion proteins targetable wi...

A rare genetic alteration found in lung adenocarcinoma that predicts response to specific targeted therapies.

Loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, recognized as an important prognostic factor in thoracic oncology patients.

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, a precise high-dose radiation technique for small tumors, also called SABR.

Small cell lung cancer, an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor with rapid growth and early metastatic spread.

Surgical removal of a pulmonary segment, a lung-sparing procedure for small peripheral tumors or patients with limited p...

Surgical technique that removes a segment of bronchus along with the tumor while preserving lung parenchyma. Also called...

A type of non-small cell lung cancer arising from the squamous epithelial cells lining the airways.

Lymph nodes located beneath the carina, important staging structures in lung cancer that require careful assessment.

Clinical syndrome caused by compression or obstruction of the superior vena cava, often by thoracic malignancies.

Precision cancer treatment directed at specific molecular targets or genetic mutations in tumor cells.

Minimally invasive procedure to remove fluid from the pleural space for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Major lymphatic vessel in the chest that can be injured during thoracic surgery, leading to chylothorax.

Regional anesthesia technique placing medication into the thoracic epidural space for pain control during and after thor...

A surgical incision through the chest wall to access thoracic organs, commonly used for lung cancer resection.

A rare neoplasm arising from the thymus gland in the anterior mediastinum, including thymomas and thymic carcinomas.

The internationally standardized system for describing the extent of cancer spread using tumor size, lymph nodes, and me...

Multidisciplinary team meeting where cancer specialists review patient cases to develop optimal treatment plans. Also ca...

The cellular and molecular environment surrounding a tumor, including immune cells, fibroblasts, blood vessels, and sign...

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery, a minimally invasive approach using small incisions and camera guidance.