Soft Tissue Sarcoma Knowledge Centre
Resources
Glossary
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
| A | |
|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. Its main role is to store energy in the form of fat, although it also cushions and insulates the body. |
| Adjuvant therapy | Treatment given after the primary treatment to increase the chances of a cure. Adjuvant therapy may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or biological therapy. |
| Advanced cancer | Cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment |
| Anemia | A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal |
| Anaesthetic | A substance that causes loss of feeling or awareness. Local anaesthetics cause loss of feeling in a part of the body. General anaesthetics put the person to sleep |
| Anorexia | An abnormal loss of the appetite for food. Anorexia can be caused by cancer, AIDS, a mental disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa), or other diseases. |
| Alveolar soft part sarcoma | A sarcoma of indeterminate origin though probably related to rhabdomyosarcoma. |
| Angiosarcoma | Sarcoma of the blood vessels. This is a sarcoma where known causes include chemical exposure and radiotherapy for (typically) breast cancer |
| Askin's Tumor | A member of the Ewings family of tumors. It is a tumor of the periosteum, the membrane which surrounds bones |
| Assessment | In healthcare, a process used to learn about a patient's condition. This may include a complete medical history, medical tests, a physical exam, a test of learning skills, tests to find out if the patient is able to carry out the tasks of daily living, a mental health evaluation, and a review of social support and community resources available to the patient |
| Asthenia | Weakness; lack of energy and strength |
| Asymptomatic | Having no signs or symptoms of disease |
| Btop ↑ | |
| Biopsy | The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue |
| Blood | A tissue with red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and other substances suspended in fluid called plasma. Blood takes oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, and carries away wastes. |
| Blood cell count | A test to check the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a sample of blood. Also called CBC and complete blood count. |
| Ctop ↑ | |
| Cell | The individual unit that makes up the tissues of the body. All living things are made up of one or more cells. |
| Chondrosarcoma | Sarcoma usually affecting bone but is also known in soft tissue. It has its origin in cartilage. Many variants which are revealed by pathology. |
| Chordoma | A very rare bone cancer in the spine. |
| Clear cell sarcoma | This can sometimes be mistaken for metastatic melanoma so careful diagnosis is important. Can affect tendons. |
| Clinical trial | A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study. |
| CNS | Cancer nurse specialist. Also used for central nervous system |
| Cytotoxic | Cell killing |
| Dtop ↑ | |
| Debulking | Surgical removal of as much of a tumor as possible. Debulking may increase the chance that chemotherapy or radiation therapy will kill all the tumor cells. It may also be done to relieve symptoms or help the patient live longer. |
| Desmoid tumor | A rare fibrous tumor which can be locally aggressive but does not metastasize. |
| DFSP | Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. A rare fibrous sarcoma usually in the skin layers. Rarely metastasises to other areas though it can spread locally. |
| Diagnosis | The process of identifying a disease, such as cancer, from its signs and symptoms. |
| Dietitian | A health professional with special training in nutrition who can help with dietary choices. Also called nutritionist |
| Distant metastasis | Refers to cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to distant organs or distant lymph nodes. Also known as distant cancer |
| Distress | Mental or physical pain or suffering |
| DNA | The molecules inside cells that carry genetic information and pass it from one generation to the next. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid |
| Dyspnea or dyspnoea | Difficulty of breathing or painful breathing |
| Etop ↑ | |
| Early-stage cancer | term used to describe cancer that is early in its growth, and may not have spread to other parts of the body. What is called early stage may differ between cancer types |
| Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma (ESS) | a uterine sarcoma arising in the endometrium |
| Epithelial | Refers to the cells that line the internal and external surfaces of the body. |
| Epithelioid sarcoma | A difficult sarcoma to diagnose as it often mimics other benign and malignant conditions. Often found on the hand. Unlike most sarcomas is known to spread through the lymph system |
| Ewing's sarcoma | A bone sarcoma most commonly found in teenagers. It is named after the doctor who first identified it. There are rare instances of Ewing's tumors in soft tissue |
| Ftop ↑ | |
| Family history | A record of a person's current and past illnesses, and those of his or her parents, brothers, sisters, children, and other family members. A family history shows the pattern of certain diseases in a family, and helps to determine risk factors for those and other diseases. |
| Fatigue | A condition marked by extreme tiredness and inability to function due lack of energy. |
| Fibrosarcoma | A type of soft tissue sarcoma that begins in fibrous tissue, which holds bones, muscles, and other organs in place. |
| First-line therapy | The first treatment for a disease or condition. In patients with cancer, first-line therapy can be surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these therapies. Also called primary therapy and primary treatment. |
| Five-year survival rate | The percentage of people in a study or treatment group who are alive five years after they were diagnosed with or treated for a disease, such as cancer. The disease may or may not have come back. |
| Follow-up | Monitoring a person's health over time after treatment. This includes keeping track of the health of people who participate in a clinical study or clinical trial for a period of time, both during the study and after the study ends |
| Gtop ↑ | |
| Gene | The functional and physical unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring. Genes are pieces of DNA, and most genes contain the information for making a specific protein |
| GIST | Gastrointestinal stromal tumor soft tissue sarcoma of the stomach and gut |
| Grade | The grade of a tumor is defined by the pathologist and is based on a measurement of how active the tumor is. A high grade cancer is more likely to spread |
| Htop ↑ | |
| Hemangioendothelioma | A rare blood vessel tumor which often occurs in the skin, liver, and spleen. |
| Hereditary | Transmitted from parent to child by information contained in the genes |
| Histology | The study of tissues and cells under a microscope |
| Hormonal therapy | Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones |
| Itop ↑ | |
| Immune system | The complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infections and other diseases. |
| Inflammation | Redness, swelling, pain, and/or a feeling of heat in an area of the body. This is a protective reaction to injury, disease, or irritation of the tissues. |
| Informed consent | A process in which a person is given important facts about a medical procedure or treatment, a clinical trial, or genetic testing before deciding whether or not to participate. It also includes informing the patient when there is new information that may affect his or her decision to continue. Informed consent includes information about the possible risks, benefits, and limits of the procedure, treatment, trial, or genetic testing. |
| Inherited | Transmitted through genes that have been passed from parents to their children. |
| Intravenous | Into or within a vein. Intravenous usually refers to a way of giving a drug or other substance through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. Also called IV. |
| Ktop ↑ | |
| Kaposi sarcoma | A type of cancer characterized by the abnormal growth of blood vessels that develop into skin lesions or occur internally. |
| Ltop ↑ | |
| Laboratory test | A medical procedure that involves testing a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body. Tests can help determine a diagnosis, plan treatment, check to see if treatment is working, or monitor the disease over time. |
| Laparoscopy | A procedure that uses a laparoscope, inserted through the abdominal wall, to examine the inside of the abdomen. A laparoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease |
| Laparotomy | A surgical incision made in the wall of the abdomen. |
| Leiomyosarcoma | A malignant tumor of smooth muscle cells that can arise almost anywhere in the body, but is most common in the uterus, abdomen, or pelvis. |
| Liposarcoma | A cancer of the fat cells. |
| Local anesthesia | Drugs that cause a temporary loss of feeling in one part of the body. The patient remains awake but has no feeling in the part of the body treated with the anaesthetic. |
| Local cancer | An invasive malignant cancer confined entirely to the organ where the cancer began. |
| Local therapy | Treatment that affects cells in the tumor and the area close to it. |
| Locally advanced cancer | Cancer that has spread from where it started to nearby tissue or lymph nodes |
| Locally recurrent cancer | Cancer that has recurred (come back) at or near the same place as the original (primary) tumor, usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. |
| Lymph node | A rounded mass of lymphatic tissue that is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. Lymph nodes filter lymph (lymphatic fluid), and they store lymphocytes (white blood cells). They are located along lymphatic vessels. |
| Lymphadenopathy | Disease or swelling of the lymph nodes. |
| Lymphangiosarcoma | A type of cancer that begins in the cells that line lymph vessels. |
| Lymphatic system | The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infections and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and lymphatic vessels (a network of thin tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells). Lymphatic vessels branch, like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body. |
| Lymphoma | Cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. There are two basic categories of lymphomas. Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. |
| Mtop ↑ | |
| Magnetic resonance imaging | A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. Magnetic resonance imaging is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called MRI, NMRI, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. |
| Maintenance therapy | Treatment that is given to help keep cancer from coming back after it has disappeared following the initial therapy. It may include treatment with drugs, vaccines, or antibodies that kill cancer cells, and it may be given for a long time. |
| Malignant | Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. |
| Malignant fibrous histiocytoma | A soft tissue sarcoma that usually occurs in the limbs, most commonly the legs, and may also occur in the abdomen. Also called malignant fibrous cytoma. |
| Measurable disease | A tumor that can be accurately measured in size. This information can be used to judge response to treatment |
| Median survival time | The time from either diagnosis or treatment at which half of the patients with a given disease are found to be, or expected to be, still alive. In a clinical trial, median survival time is one way to measure how effective a treatment is. |
| Medical oncologist | A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and biological therapy. A medical oncologist often is the main health care provider for someone who has cancer. A medical oncologist also gives supportive care and may coordinate treatment given by other specialists. |
| Metastasis | The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a "metastatic tumor" or a "metastasis." The metastatic tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor |
| Mixed Mullerian Tumor | Also known as carcinosarcoma. This is a gynecological cancer with characteristics of both a sarcoma and a carcinoma. |
| Muscle | Contractile tissue of the body. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to produce force and cause motion. |
| Ntop ↑ | |
| Nausea | A feeling of sickness or discomfort in the stomach that may come with an urge to vomit. Nausea is a side effect of some types of cancer therapy. |
| Needle biopsy | The removal of tissue or fluid with a needle for examination under a microscope. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy. |
| Needle-localized biopsy | A procedure that uses very thin needles or guide wires to mark the location of an abnormal area of tissue so it can be surgically removed. An imaging device is used to place the wire in or around the abnormal area. Needle localization is used when the doctor cannot feel the mass of abnormal tissue. |
| Neoplasia | Abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth |
| Neutropenia | A condition in which there is a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell). |
| Neo-adjuvant | Treatment prior to surgery designed to improve the prospects of a successful operation. |
| Ptop ↑ | |
| Partial response | A decrease in the size of a tumor, or in the extent of cancer in the body, in response to treatment. Also called partial remission. |
| Pathologist | The laboratory expert behind the front-line clinical team. |
| PNET | primitive neuroectodermal tumor. A bone sarcoma related to Ewings sarcoma. |
| Primary therapy | .The first treatment for a disease or condition. In patients with cancer, primary therapy can be surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these therapies. Also called first-line therapy and primary treatment. |
| Primary tumor | The original tumor |
| Progression | In medicine, the course of a disease, such as cancer, as it becomes worse or spreads in the body. |
| Progression-free survival | The length of time during and after treatment in which a patient is living with a disease that does not get worse Progression-free survival may be used in a clinical study or trial to help find out how well a new treatment works. |
| Progressive disease | Cancer that is growing, spreading, or getting worse |
| Rtop ↑ | |
| Radiation therapy | The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radio labeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called irradiation and radiotherapy. |
| Radiologist | A doctor who specializes in creating and interpreting pictures of areas inside the body. The pictures are produced with x-rays, sound waves, or other types of energy. |
| Radiology | The use of radiation (such as x-rays) or other imaging technologies (such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) to diagnose or treat disease. |
| Rhabdomyosarcoma | Sarcoma of striated, or voluntary, muscle. |
| Recurrent cancer | Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence. |
| Refractory cancer | Cancer that does not respond to treatment. The cancer may be resistant at the beginning of treatment or it may become resistant during treatment. Also called resistant cancer. |
| Remission | A decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer. In partial remission, some, but not all, signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared |
| Response | In medicine, an improvement related to treatment. |
| Response rate | The percentage of patients whose cancer shrinks or disappears after treatment |
| Stop ↑ | |
| Second-line therapy | Treatment that is given when initial treatment (first-line therapy) doesn't work, or stops working. |
| Second-look surgery | Surgery performed after primary treatment to determine whether tumor cells remain. |
| Soft tissue sarcoma | A cancer that begins in the muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body |
| Staging | Performing exams and tests to learn the extent of the cancer within the body, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. It is important to know the stage of the disease in order to plan the best treatment. |
| Standard therapy | In medicine, treatment that experts agree is appropriate, accepted, and widely used. Health care providers are obligated to provide patients with standard therapy. Also called best practice and standard of care. |
| Synovial sarcoma | A malignant tumor that develops in the synovial membrane of the joints. |
| Systemic therapy | Treatment using substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cells all over the body. |
| Ttop ↑ | |
| Tendon | Tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. |
| Third-line therapy | Treatment that is given when both initial treatment (first-line therapy) and subsequent treatment (second-line therapy) don't work, or stop working. |
| Thoracotomy | lung surgery. In some instances metastatic sarcoma on the lungs can be surgically removed. |
| Time to progression | A measure of time after a disease is diagnosed (or treated) until the disease starts to get worse. |
| Tissue | Cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. Hence, a tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. |
| Tumor | An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). |
| Utop ↑ | |
| ULMS uterine leiomyosarcoma | Uterine fibroids can develop into malignant sarcomas. |
| Ultrasonography | A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echo patterns are shown on the screen of an ultrasound machine, forming a picture of body tissues called a sonogram |
| Vtop ↑ | |
| Vaccine | Biological preparation which is used to establish or improve immunity to a particular disease. |