Cancer Terms Glossary
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Small Intestine: The portion of the digestive tract that first gets food from the stomach. It’s divided into the duodenum, jejunum, and the ileum.
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Standard of Care: The best-known treatment based on current evidence for a particular condition.
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Stage: A classification of cancer based on the size and extent of the tumor and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
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Stoma: A surgically-created opening from an area inside the body to the outside.
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Surgical Resection: Surgery to remove part or all of a tumor or organ.
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Surveillance: In medicine, closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back.
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Survivor: Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer.
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Survivorship: The phase of a cancer patient’s journey after treatment, focusing on health and life after cancer.
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Targeted Therapy: Treatment that uses drugs to target specific genes, proteins, or other molecules involved in the growth and survival of cancer cells.
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Treatment Adherence: Following treatment regimens as prescribed, including taking medications and attending appointments.
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Tumor: A mass of tissue that forms when cells divide uncontrollably. Tumors can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
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Tumor Markers: A substance found in tissue, blood, bone marrow, or other body fluids that may be a sign of cancer or certain benign (noncancer) conditions.