Women and Cancer Glossary

Benign - Not cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.

Biological Therapy - Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Also known as immunotherapy, biotherapy, or Biological Response Modifier (BRM) therapy.

Buccal Mucosa - Pertaining to the mouth, especially the inner lining of the cheeks.

Carcinogens - Certain chemicals which cause cancer by altering the genetic make-up of the cells.

Chemotherapy - Is a systemic treatment in which chemical substances or drugs are injected into the vein or muscle to kill cancer cells.

Endometrial Cancer - Cancer which occurs within the Uterus.

Lumpectomy - Removal of tumorous lump.

Lymphoma - Malignant tumors of the lymph nodes.

Lymphatic System - The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infection and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and network of thin tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells. These tubes branch, like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body.

Malignant - Cancerous; spread into the surrounding tissues.

Mammogram - An X-ray of the breasts that can detect tumors in the breast much before they are big enough to be felt by hand.

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Mastectomy - Removal of the breast.

Metastasis - Transfer of disease from one organ or part of the body to another, the causative agent having been conveyed by the blood or lymph.

Oncology - Field of knowledge regarding tumors.

Pap Smear Test - Screening test for cervical cancer which detects cancers early and spots precancerous conditions. Also called the Pap Test this procedure involves a few cells being scrapped off the cervix, put on a microscope slide, dyed and examined.

Radiotherapy - A treatment modality for cancer which uses high energy rays that are trained on the cancer cells to stop them from growing and multiplying.