Learn the Lingo

Additional cancer treatment given after the primary treatment, for example chemotherapy given after surgery. 

Low levels of healthy red blood cells carrying oxygen. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness. 

A non-cancerous growth of cells. 

Removal of a small sample of tissue that can be examined, to achieve a diagnosis. 

The clear yellowish fluid part of blood.  Its primary role is transporting red and white blood cells, platelets, proteins, nutrients, waste products, and hormones throughout the body.

A procedure to collect bone marrow cells for medical testing.   An aspiration withdraws a sample of liquid bone marrow, while a biopsy removes a small core of solid bone marrow. Both are performed to help diagnose conditions affecting blood cells, such as infections, leukemia, or other cancers.   

A thin tube inserted into a vein or body cavity to administer medication, or deliver or remove fluids.  

A type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. 

Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, or infusion, or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It is a type of SACT and may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or biological therapy. 

Medical research studies involving people being assigned to receive one or more health related interventions to evaluate their effects on health outcomes.  There are 4 phases of clinical trials.  

Central venous access device (CVAD) or central venous catheter (CVC) are devices that are inserted into the body through a large vein near the heart.  They enable drawing blood samples and the administration of fluids, blood products and medication into the blood stream.

A substance or process that can damage cells or cause them to die.

Hospital approved to provide cancer care for young adults aged 19-24 years, within its adult cancer services.

The ability of an intervention to produce the desired beneficial effect.  In healthcare, efficacy is the measure of how well a medical intervention (like a drug or procedure) works under ideal, controlled conditions, such as those found in a clinical trial.

The study of genes in our DNA, their functions and their influence on the growth, development and working of the body. 

A protein inside red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs, and carries cardon dioxide back to the lungs.

The study of blood and blood disorders.  This includes the study and treatment of blood-forming tissues like the bone marrow, and blood-related disorders and cancers, including problems with bleeding and clotting. 

 The study of tissues and cells under a microscope.

A complex system of the body that defends it against infection.  The immune system is a combination of cells, tissues and organs that protect against diseases caused by harmful bacteria, viruses and other parasites.

Drugs that prevent or lower your immune system.

Immunotherapy uses your own immune system to fight cancer. It works by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. You might have immunotherapy on its own or with other cancer treatments. Immunotherapy is a standard treatment for some types of cancer. It is a type of SACT.  

Administering fluids, medications or other nutrients directly into a vein, for rapid absorption and delivery. 

The injection of a substance directly into muscle. 

Treatment in which anticancer drugs are injected into the fluid-filled space between the thin layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. 

Side effects of cancer treatment that may not appear for months or years after treatment.

Leukaemia is a cancer of blood cells in the bone marrow, usually white blood cells.  There are different types of leukaemia defined by the type of blood cell affected and how the condition develops. 

A type of immune cell that is made in the bone marrow.  Lymphocytes help the body fight disease and infection by recognising and responding to specific foreign invaders called antigens.

A type of blood cancer affecting the lymphatic system, which is a part of the immune system that fights infection.  There are different types of lymphoma, classified depending on how the cells are affected and how the lymphoma behaves. The 2 main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

These are cancerous cells/tumours characterised by uncontrolled growth that can invade nearby tissues and spread (metastasise) to distant parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. 

The spread of cancer cells from the place where they first formed to another part of the body.

Laboratory-produced proteins that mimic the body's natural antibodies. They are designed to target specific antigens, like those found on cancer cells or pathogens, for diagnosis and treatment. 

A cancer therapy given before the main treatment to shrink the tumour, for example chemotherapy given before surgery.

A low level of neutrophils (a type of white blood cells) in the blood leaving the patient more susceptible to infection. This could lead to neutropenic sepsis.

A modified diet for people with weakened immune systems (neutropenia) to reduce the risk of infection from foodborne bacteria. It involves eating only well-cooked foods and avoiding raw or undercooked items, unpasteurised dairy, and unwashed produce to eliminate harmful microorganisms.  

A type of white blood cell that acts as the first line of defense in the body's innate immune system.

Operational Delivery Network is a structured framework within a healthcare system, designed to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of specialised services across different locations and providers.

A branch of medicine focussed on the study, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.

Relating to the branch of medicine dealing with children and their diseases. 

Specialised medical care focused on improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses and their families, by managing symptoms, providing emotional and practical support, regardless of whether a cure is possible.

Detailed plans or guidelines that outline specific procedures, treatments, or interventions for managing a particular medical condition, disease, or situation, aiming to improve patient care quality and safety.  

The science dealing with X-rays and other high-energy radiation, especially the use of such radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. 

The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. 

A a disease, condition, or symptom that does not respond to treatment, or one that becomes resistant after initially responding. 

When cancer returns  after a period where it was not detectable.  

When there is no sign of cancer in the body after treatment. 

Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy.  A term used to encompass all drug treatments used to treat or control cancer. 

e.g. chemotherapy and immunotherapy

Unique cells with the ability to develop into various specialised cell types, playing a crucial role in tissue repair and regeneration, and are broadly classified into embryonic and adult stem cells. 

Stem cells are collected from the bloodstream or bone marrow; either from your bloodstream or bone marrow or a donor's.  Before the transplant, you will have conditioning treatment which is usually chemotherapy but might include radiotherapy and target cancer drugs.  The conditioning treatment kills cancer cells but also stem cells.  After the treatment, stem cells are infused through a drip into your bloodstream. 

What is stem cell/bone marrow transplant | Cancer Research UK

Insertion of medications beneath the skin either by injection or infusion. 

Targeted therapies are types of cancer treatments that use drugs to attack specific abnormalities in cancer cells that help them grow and survive.  These are also known as precision medicine, as they are designed to be a more personalised treatment for a specific type of cancer. Types of targeted therapies include monoclonal antibodies and PARP inhibitors.  They can be used alone or in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy. 

This refers to the potential of a drug to cause harm to a patient.

The process of preparing a teenager to move on from children's to adult (TYA) healthcare. 

Teenagers and Young Adults.