Cellular Mechanisms
This is the general medical term for a mass of abnormal tissue formed by an accumulation of rapidly dividing cells.
What is a tumor (or neoplasm)?
The use of broad-spectrum SPF is the scientifically proven method to mitigate the risk of this deadliest form of skin cancer.
What is melanoma?
This highly toxic, systemic treatment utilizes powerful chemical compounds to target and destroy rapidly dividing cells in the body.
What is chemotherapy?
Routine screening with this low-dose X-ray technology is the primary tool for the early detection of breast cancer.
What is a mammogram?
Globally, this specific type of cancer is responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths each year.
What is lung cancer?
This programmed cell death is a normal cellular function, but malignant cells actively evade it to survive.
What is apoptosis?
The Gardasil 9 vaccine is administered to prevent infection from this virus, heavily linked to cervical and oropharyngeal cancers.
What is HPV (Human Papillomavirus)?
Often used alongside surgery, this localized treatment directs high doses of ionizing energy to damage the DNA of targeted cancer cells.
What is radiation therapy?
This routine swabbing procedure remains the gold standard for detecting precancerous abnormalities in the cervix.
What is a Pap smear (or Pap test)?
Excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, this is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the United States.
What is prostate cancer?
This process occurs when cancer cells break away from the primary tumor, travel through the bloodstream or lymph system, and form new tumors.
What is metastasis?
The World Health Organization classifies tobacco smoke, processed meats, and asbestos as these—substances known to cause cancer.
What are carcinogens?
This surgical procedure is non-negotiable for a definitive diagnosis; it involves extracting tissue for microscopic examination by a pathologist.
What is a biopsy?
The National Cancer Act of 1971, which officially declared the "War on Cancer," was signed into law by this U.S. President.
Who is Richard Nixon?
Oncologists and researchers rely on this specific statistical metric to estimate the percentage of patients who will be alive a half-decade after their diagnosis.
What is the 5-year survival rate?
These normal genes promote cell growth, but a simple mutation transforms them into "oncogenes," actively driving cancer.
What are proto-oncogenes?
This naturally occurring, radioactive gas seeps into basements and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
What is radon?
Instead of attacking tumors directly, this modern therapeutic class utilizes checkpoint inhibitors like Keytruda to unleash the patient's own immune system.
What is immunotherapy?
Urologists monitor elevated levels of this specific protein in the blood to screen for potential prostate cancer.
What is the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test?
This standard epidemiological metric is used to measure the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases per 100,000 people in a specific population over one year.
What is the incidence rate?
Solid tumors must trigger this physiological process to create their own network of new blood vessels for oxygen and nutrient supply.
What is angiogenesis?
A prophylactic mastectomy or oophorectomy might be recommended for patients carrying inherited mutations in these two specific genes.
What are BRCA1 and BRCA2?
This highly specialized treatment involves extracting a patient’s white blood cells, genetically engineering them to target cancer, and infusing them back into the bloodstream.
What is CAR T-cell therapy?
Originating from a 1951 tissue biopsy taken without consent, this "immortal" cell line remains one of the most critical tools in global medical research.
What are HeLa cells (or cells from Henrietta Lacks)?
While incidence rates measure new cases, this metric measures the total number of people in a population currently living with a cancer diagnosis at a given time.
What is prevalence?