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A
Adjuvant therapy
A treatment method used in addition to the primary therapy. Radiation
therapy often is used as an adjuvant to surgery.
Alopecia (al-oh-PEE-she-ah)
Hair loss.
Anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation resulting from the use of certain drugs
or gases.
Antiemetic (an-tee-eh-MET-ik)
A medicine to prevent or relieve nausea or vomiting.
Apoptsis (AY-pup-TOE-siss)
A type of cell death in which a series of molecular steps in a cell leads to its death. This is the body’s normal way of getting rid of unneeded or abnormal cells. The process of apoptosis may be blocked in cancer cells. Also called programmed cell death.
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Benign tumor
A growth that is not a cancer and does not spread to other parts
of the body.
Biological therapy
Treatment by stimulation of the body's immune defense system.
Biopsy
The removal of a sample of tissue to see whether cancer cells are
present.
Brachytherapy (BRAK-ee-THER-ah-pee)
Internal radiation treatment achieved by implanting radioactive
material directly into the tumor or very close to it. Sometimes
called "internal radiation therapy".
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Cancer
A general term for more than 100 diseases that have uncontrolled,
abnormal growth of cells that can invade and destroy healthy tissues.
Catheter
A thin, flexible tube through which fluids enter or leave the body.
Chemotherapy
Treatment with anticancer drugs.
Cobalt 60
A radioactive substance used as a radiation source to treat cancer.
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Dietician (also registered dietician)
A professional who plans diet programs for proper nutrition.
Dosimetrist (do-SIM-uh-trist)
A person who plans and calculates the proper radiation dose
for treatment using a treatment planning computer system.
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Electron beam
A stream of particles that produces high-energy radiation to treat
cancer.
External radiation
Radiation therapy that uses a machine located outside of the body
to aim high-energy rays at cancer cells.
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Fluoride
A chemical applied to the teeth to prevent tooth decay.
Fractionation
Dividing the total dose of radiation into smaller doses in order
to give healthy tissue time to repair itself.
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Gamma rays
High-energy rays that come from a radioactive source such as a cobalt-60.
Gray
A measurement of absorbed radiation dose; 1 Gray = 100 rads.
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High-dose-rate remote brachytherapy
A type of internal radiation in which each treatment is given in
a few minutes while the radioactive source is in place. The source
of radioactivity is removed between treatments. Also known as high-dose-rate
remote radiation therapy.
Hyperfractionated radiation
Division of the total dose of radiation into smaller doses that
are given more than once a day.
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Implant
A small container of radioactive material placed in or near a cancer.
Internal radiation: A type of therapy in which a radioactive substance
is implanted into or close to the area needing treatment.
IMRT
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy. The intensity of
the radiation can be changed during treatment to spare more adjoining
normal tissue than with radiation therapy and allows for increasing
the dose of radiation to the tumor. IMRT is also known as conformal
radiation
Interstitial radiation
A radioactive source (implant) placed directly into the tissue (not
in a body cavity).
Intracavitary radiation
A radioactive source (implant) placed in a body cavity such as the
chest cavity or the vagina.
Intraoperative radiation
A type of external radiation used to deliver a large dose of radiation
therapy to the tumor bed and surrounding tissue at the time of surgery.
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K
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L
Linear accelerator
A machine that creates high-energy radiation to treat cancers, using
electricity to form a stream of fast-moving subatomic particles.
Also called megavoltage (MeV) linear accelerator or a linac.
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Malignant
Cancerous (see cancer).
Medical oncologist
A doctor who specializes in using chemotherapy to treat cancer.
Metastasis
The spread of a cancer from one part of the body to another. Cells
in the second tumor are like those in the original tumor.
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O
Oncologist
A doctor who specializes in treating cancer.
Oncology
The branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of
cancer.
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P
Palliative Care
Treatment to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms caused by cancer.
Palliative care can help people live more comfortably.
Physical therapist
A health professional trained in the use of treatments such as exercise
and massage.
Platelets
Special blood cells that help stop bleeding.
Port (also treatment field)
The area of the body through which external beam radiation is directed
in order to reach a tumor.
Prosthesis
An artificial replacement of a part of the body.
Protraction
The period of time during which a course of radiation is given.
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R
Rad
Short form for "radiation absorbed dose"; a measurement
of the amount of radiation absorbed by tissues (100 rad = 1 Gray).
Radiation
Energy carried by waves or a stream of particles.
Radiation oncologist
A doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer.
Radiation oncology nurse
A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who has extensive
training in oncology and radiation therapy.
Radiation physicist
A person trained to ensure that the radiation machine delivers the
right amount of radiation to the treatment site.
Radiation therapist
A person with special training who runs the equipment that delivers
the radiation.
Radiation therapy
The use of high-energy penetrating rays or subatomic particles to
treat disease. Types of radiation include x-ray, electron beam,
alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. Radioactive substances
include cobalt, radium, iridium, and cesium. (See also gamma rays,
brachytherapy, teletherapy, and x-ray.)
Radioisotope
A radioactive form of an element.
Radiologist
A physician with special training in reading diagnostic x-rays and
performing specialized x-ray procedures.
Radioresistance
When cells do not respond easily to radiation.
Radiosensitivity
How susceptible a cell, cancerous or healthy, is to radiation. Cells
that divide frequently are especially radiosensitive and are more
affected by radiation.
Radiotherapy
See radiation therapy.
Remote brachytherapy
See high-dose-rate remote brachytherapy.
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S
Sealed radiation source
A metal seed or capsule containing a radioisotope, used for brachytherapy
procedures.
Simulation
A process involving special x-ray pictures that are used to plan
radiation treatment so that the area to be treated is precisely
located and marked for treatment.
Social worker
A mental health professional with a master's degree in social work
(MSW). A social worker can provide assistance in dealing with medical,
psychological, social, and educational needs.
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Teletherapy
Treatment in which the radiation source is at a distance from the
body. Linear accelerators and cobalt machines are used in teletherapy.
Treatment port or field
The place on the body at which the radiation beam is aimed.
Tumor
An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are either benign or malignant.
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U
Unsealed internal radiation therapy
Internal radiation therapy given by injecting a radioactive substance
into the bloodstream or a body cavity. This substance is not sealed
in a container.
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V
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W
White blood cells
The blood cells that fight infection
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X
X-ray
High-energy radiation that can be used at low levels to diagnose
disease or athigh levels to treat cancer
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Z
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