Medical Oncology Glossary
This article reviews terms often used while a patient is receiving chemotherapy as a cancer treatment.
This article reviews terms often used while a patient is receiving chemotherapy as a cancer treatment.
Eribulin mesylate is a manmade form of a product taken from a marine sponge. Eribulin mesylate works by disrupting how cancer cells divide. By altering how these cells divide, the cancer slows or stops growing.
Docetaxel affects the microtubular network in cells, which is needed for cells to work and divide. By affecting the microtubules, docetaxel makes the microtubule bundles inactive, causing cancer cells to die.
A PICC line is a long-term use access to your vein that can be used to give chemotherapy, medications, nutrition and to draw blood for lab work.
Azacitidine belongs to the class of drugs called antimetabolites. Azacitidine kills abnormal cells in the bone marrow by inhibiting a process called DNA methylation, which is needed for cell reproduction. Because the abnormal cells cannot divide and grow, they die.
Gemcitabine is a type of medication called an “antimetabolite.” Antimetabolites affect the DNA of cancer cells, leading to the slowing or stopping of cancer. Since cancer cells divide faster and with less error-correcting than healthy cells, cancer cells are more sensitive to this damage than normal cells.
Intrathecal chemotherapy is used to treat cancers involving the central nervous system.
Chemotherapy is a type of medication used to treat some types of cancer. This article provides a basic introduction to chemotherapy, how it works, and how it is given.
Appendix cancer is caused by cells in the appendix growing out of control. As the number of cells grow, they form a tumor. Appendix cancer affects about 1 or 2 people per 1 million people every year in the United States (fewer than 1,500 people per year).
An antimetabolite medication affects how DNA is made in cells. Cancer cells divide faster and with less error correction than healthy cells, making them more sensitive to these effects.
Fluorouracil changes how cancer cells make and use DNA and RNA. Fluorouracil prevents cancer cells from making important proteins, which causes cell death and can slow or stop cancer from growing.