Adjuvant therapy - Treatment provided in addition to the primary treatment
Anemia - A condition that occurs when there is not enough hemoglobin in a person's blood. Hemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that enables the blood to transport oxygen through the body.
Areola - The area of dark-colored skin that surrounds the nipple
Aromatase inhibitors- A new class of drugs that decreases the production of estrogen and is used as hormonal therapy in breast cancer that is estrogen-receptor positive
Aspiration - Removal of fluid from a lump, often a cyst, with a needle
Atypical hyperplasia - A benign (non-cancerous) condition in which breast tissue has certain abnormal features. This condition increases the risk of breast cancer.
Axilla - The underarm
Benign tumor - A non-cancerous growth that does not spread to nearby tissues or other parts of the body
Biological therapy - Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Also called immunotherapy
Biopsy - The removal and examination of a sample of tissue with a microscope to see whether cancer cells are present
Bone marrow - The soft, sponge-like material inside bone. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.
Bone marrow transplantation - A procedure in which doctors replace marrow destroyed by high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation. The replacement marrow may be taken from the patient before treatment or may be donated by another person. The new bone marrow is given to restore normal blood cell function.
Breast surgeons - Physicians who specialize in the surgical removal of breast tumors while conserving as much of the breast as possible
Cancer - A general term for more than 100 diseases in which there is an uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells. Cancer cells can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
Carcinoma - Cancer that begins in the lining or covering of an organ
Carcinoma in situ - Cancer that involves only the tissue in which it began; it has not spread to other tissues
Chemotherapy - Treatment with anticancer drugs. Chemotherapy may be given after breast surgery to patients with early stages of breast cancer to kill any microscopic cancer cells, decreasing the risk of recurrence. Occasionally, the surgeon and medical oncologist may recommend chemotherapy prior to breast surgery to decrease the size of the tumor so that less tissue will need to be removed.
Clear margins - An area of normal tissue that surrounds cancerous tissue, as seen during a microscopic examination
Clinical trial - A research program conducted with patients to evaluate a new medical treatment, drug, or device. The purpose of clinical trials is to find new and improved methods of diagnosing and treating different diseases and special conditions.
Colony stimulating factors - Laboratory-made substances similar to substances in the body that stimulate the production of blood cells. Treatment with colony-stimulating factors can help cells in the bone marrow recover from the effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Computed axial tomography (CAT scan) - An image of a cross-section of the body created with x-rays and computers
Cyst - A closed sac or capsule filled with fluid
Diaphanography (also called transillumination) - An exam that involves shining a bright light through the breast to reveal features of the tissue inside. This technique is being studied, and its value in detecting breast cancer has not been proven.
Duct - A tube in the breast through which milk passes from the lobules to the nipple
Ductal carcinoma in situ (or intraductal carcinoma) - Cancer that remains localized in the ducts of the breast and has not spread beyond them
Erythrocytes - Red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to cells in all parts of the body. Erythrocytes also carry carbon dioxide from the cells back to the lungs.
Estrogen - A female sex hormone that stimulates and maintains female sex characteristics. They are either natural or synthetic. Estrogens are used to treat menstrual and menopausal disorders and are also used as oral contraceptives.
Estrogen receptor test - Lab test used to determine if breast cancer relies on estrogen for growth. It is noted as estrogen receptor-positive or -negative.
Gene - The basic unit of heredity found in all cells. Genetic breast cancer makes up 10% of all breast cancers and is inherited as BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. If a woman has one of these genes, she has up to an 85% risk of developing breast cancer in her lifetime.
Gynecologist - A doctor who specializes in the care and health of the female reproductive organs
HER2neu receptor - Receptor noted on breast cancer cells that have a worse prognosis, but is treated with a drug called Herceptin
Hormonal therapy - The use of hormones to treat cancer patients by removing, blocking, or adding to the effects of a hormone on an organ or part of the body
Hormones - Chemicals produced by glands in the body. Hormones control the actions of certain cells or organs.
Hormone receptor test - A test used to measure the amount of certain proteins, called hormone receptors, in breast cancer tissue. Hormones can attach to these proteins. A high level of hormone receptors means hormones probably help the cancer grow.
Hormone therapy - Treatment of cancer by removing, blocking, or adding hormones
Immune system - The body's natural defense system against infection or disease
Implant - A silicone gel-filled or saline-filled sac inserted above or below the chest muscles to restore breast shape
Intraductal carcinoma - See ductal carcinoma in situ
Leukocytes - White blood cells that protect the body against infections and other diseases
Leukopenia - A decreased white blood cell count
Lobe - A part of the breast; each breast contains 15 to 20 lobes
Lobule - Smaller lobes located inside the main lobes. At the end of each lobule are tiny "bulbs" that produce milk.
Lobular carcinoma in situ - Serves as a marker for the increased risk of developing breast cancer in both breasts
Local therapy - Treatment that affects cells in the tumor and the area close to it
Localized cancer - Cancer that hasn't spread to other parts of the body
Lumpectomy - Surgery to remove only the cancerous breast lump; usually followed by radiation therapy
Lymph - Clear fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease
Lymphatic system - A circulatory system that includes an extensive network of lymph vessels and lymph nodes. The lymphatic system helps coordinate the immune system's function to protect the body from foreign substances.
Lymphedema - An abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. Lymphedema develops when lymph vessels are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed. This condition can be chronic and irreversible.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - A 3-dimensional view of the breasts that uses a magnet and no radiation to detect breast abnormalities. It is a highly sensitive tool for detecting breast cancer.
Malignant - Cancerous; can spread to other parts of the body
Mammogram - A series of X-rays of the breast used to detect abnormal growths or changes in the breast tissue
Mastectomy - Surgery to remove the breast
Metastasize - To spread from one part of the body to another. When cancer cells metastasize and cause secondary tumors, the cells in the secondary tumor are like those in the original cancer.
Microcalcifications - Tiny deposits of calcium that cannot be felt but can be detected on a mammogram. A cluster of these small specks of calcium may indicate that an early cancer is present.
Oncologist, medical - A physician who specializes in the medical treatment of cancer. Medical oncologists have a thorough knowledge of how cancers behave and grow. This knowledge is used to calculate your risk of recurrence as well as the possible need for and benefits of additional or adjuvant therapy (such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or bone marrow transplantation). Your medical oncologist generally manages your overall medical care and monitors your general health during your course of treatment. He or she checks your progress frequently, reviews your lab and X-ray results, and coordinates your medical care before and after your course of treatment.
Oncologist, radiation - Staff physician trained in cancer treatment using radiation therapy
Oncologist, surgical - A doctor who performs biopsies and other surgical procedures such as removing a lump or a breast
Palpation - A simple technique in which a doctor presses on the surface of the body to feel the organs or tissues underneath
Pathologist - An expert who specializes in analyzing breast tissue samples (removed during a biopsy) under a microscope to detect the cellular makeup of the tumor, whether the cancer is localized or has the potential to spread, and how quickly it is growing. Pathologists can detect subtle differences in cancer cells that help your surgeon and oncologist confirm the diagnosis.
Peripheral stem cell support - A method for replacing bone marrow destroyed by cancer treatment. Certain cells (stem cells) in the blood that are similar to those in bone marrow are removed from the patient's blood before treatment. The cells are given back to the patient after cancer treatment to help the bone marrow recover and continue producing healthy blood cells.
Plastic surgeon - Surgeon who specializes in state-of-the-art breast reconstructive techniques
Platelet - Substance in the blood that helps prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form at the site of an injury
Progesterone - Female sex hormone responsible for, among other functions, the thickening of the uterine lining before conception
Prognosis - The probable outcome or course of a disease; the chance of recovery
Prosthesis - An artificial replacement of a part of the body. Abreast prosthesis is a breast form worn under clothing.
Raloxifene - A hormonal therapy proven to reduce one's risk for breast cancer by 50%
Radiation therapy - A form of cancer treatment that uses high levels of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing, while minimizing damage to healthy cells
Radiation therapist - A professional who helps place you in the correct treatment position and interprets X-ray studies
Radiation technologist - A professional who checks the radiation dosage to make it as safe as possible
Remission - The disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer. A remission can be temporary or permanent.
Risk factor - Something that increases a person's chance of developing a disease
Sentinal lymph node - The first lymph node to which a tumor drains, making it the first place where cancer is likely to spread. In breast cancer, the sentinel node is usually located in the axillary nodes, located under the arm.
Silicone - A synthetic gel that is used as the outer coating on breast implants. It also makes up the inside filling of some implants, although saline is now a more common implant filler.
Stage - The extent of the cancer. The stage of breast cancer depends on the size of the cancer and whether it has spread from its original site to other parts of the body.
Systemic therapy - Treatment that reaches and affects cells all over the body
Tamoxifen - A hormonal therapy used to treat estrogen-sensitive breast cancer and to prevent breast cancer in women who are at high risk for breast cancer
Thermography - A test to measure and display heat patterns of tissues near the surface of the breast. Abnormal tissue generally is warmer than healthy tissue. This technique is under study; its value in detecting breast cancer has not been proven.
Tumor - An abnormal mass of tissue
Ultrasonography - A test in which high-frequency sound waves, inaudible to the human ear, are transmitted through body tissues. The echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images. Ultrasound is used to create images of soft tissue structures and can also detect blockages in the blood vessels. Ultrasound images help in the diagnosis of a wide range of diseases and conditions. It is very helpful in determining what kind of breast lump is felt.
X-ray - High-energy radiation used in low doses to diagnose diseases, and used in high doses to treat cancer
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 5/4/2007...#8342
