Diabetes A disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) The measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill health, disability, or early death. DNA mismatch repair DNA mismatch repair is a system for recognizing and repairing erroneous insertion, deletion, and misincorporation of bases that can arise during DNA replication and recombination, as well as repairing some forms of DNA damage. E Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) A battery-powered device that delivers nicotine by vaporizing a nicotine solution, rather than by combusting tobacco as do traditional cigarettes and cigars. Endocrine therapy Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones. For certain conditions (such as diabetes or menopause), hormones are given to adjust low hormone levels. Hormones can also cause certain cancers (such as prostate and breast cancer) to grow. To slow or stop the growth of cancer, synthetic hormones or other drugs may be given to block the body’s natural hormones, or surgery is used to remove the gland that makes a certain hormone. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) A protein found on the surface of some cells to which epidermal growth factor binds, causing the cells to proliferate. It is found at abnormally high levels on the surface of many types of cancer cells, including many types of lung cancer cells, so these cells may divide excessively in the presence of epidermal growth factor. Also called ErbB1 and HER1. Epigenetic mark A chemical modification of DNA and/ or histones that can control the accessibility of genes. The collection of epigenetic marks across the entire genome is referred to as the epigenome. Epigenetics The study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype caused by mechanisms other than changes in DNA sequence. Examples of such changes might be DNA methylation or histone deacetylation, both of which serve to suppress gene expression without altering the sequence of the silenced genes. Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) A double stranded DNA molecule found in various organisms, including humans, that is separate from chromosomes and can be located either inside or outside of the nucleus of a cell. ecDNA can play roles in certain diseases including cancer. F Financial toxicity A term used to describe financial problems a patient has related to the cost of cancer care. Five-year survival rate The percentage of people in a specific group, for example, people diagnosed with a certain type of cancer or those who started a certain treatment, who are alive 5 years after they were diagnosed with or started treatment for a disease, such as cancer. The disease may or may not have come back. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are safe to use and truthfully labeled. The FDA also makes sure that drugs, medical devices, and equipment are safe and effective, and that blood for transfusions and transplant tissue are safe. G 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. Genetic testing A laboratory method that looks for changes in genes, gene expression, or chromosomes in cells or tissue of a person. These changes may be a sign of a disease or condition, such as cancer. They may also be a sign that a person has an increased risk of developing a specific disease or condition or of having a child or other family member with the disease or condition. Genetic testing may also be done on tumor tissue to help diagnose cancer, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working. Germline mutation A gene change in a body's reproductive cell (egg or sperm) that becomes incorporated into the DNA of every cell in the body of the offspring. Germline mutations are passed on from parents to offspring. Also called germline variant. Glioblastoma A fast-growing type of central nervous system tumor that forms from glial (supportive) tissue of the brain and spinal cord and has cells that look very different from normal cells. Glioblastoma usually occurs in adults and affects the brain more often than the spinal cord. Glioma A cancer of the brain that begins in glial cells (cells that surround and support nerve cells). H Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) An individual’s or a group’s perceived physical and mental health over time. Histone A type of protein found in chromosomes. Histones attach to DNA and help control which genes are accessible for reading. AACR Cancer Progress Report 2023 Glossary 186
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