Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) A noninvasive medical test that produces detailed pictures of areas inside the body through the use of radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer. MRI is particularly useful for imaging the brain, spine, soft tissue of joints, and inside of bones. Also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). Mammogram An X-ray of the breast that is used to look for early signs of breast cancer. Melanoma Cancer that begins in melanocytes (cells that make the pigment melanin). These cancers may arise in a mole (skin melanoma), but they can also originate in other pigmented tissues, such as the eye (uveal melanoma) or the intestines (mucosal melanoma). Metastasis The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a metastatic tumor or a metastasis. The metastatic tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor. The plural form of metastasis is metastases. Microbiome Describes the community of organisms (fungi, bacteria, and viruses) that exists in a particular environment, such as a part of the body including the skin, gastrointestinal tract, or tumor. Molecularly targeted therapy A type of treatment that uses therapeutics to target specific molecules involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. Morbidity Refers to having a disease, a symptom of disease, the amount of disease within a population, or the medical problems caused by a treatment. Multicancer detection (MCD) assays A type of blood test that is being studied as a way to screen for many types of cancer at the same time. Multicancer detection tests work by measuring biomarkers, such as pieces of DNA, that cancer cells release into the blood as they die. These tests may help find cancer in parts of the body that are not easily accessible for physical exam or biopsy. Multiple myeloma A type of cancer that begins in plasma cells (white blood cells that produce antibodies). Also called Kahler disease, myelomatosis, and plasma cell myeloma. Mutation Any change in the DNA of a cell. Mutations may be caused by mistakes during cell proliferation or by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment. Mutations can be harmful, beneficial, or have no effect. If they occur in cells that make eggs or sperm, they can be inherited; if mutations occur in other types of cells, they are not inherited. Certain mutations may lead to cancer or other diseases. N National Cancer Institute (NCI) The largest of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health. The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer; rehabilitation from cancer; and the continuing care of cancer patients and their families. National Institutes of Health (NIH) A federal agency in the U.S. that conducts biomedical research in its own laboratories; supports the research of nonfederal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helps in the training of research investigators; and fosters communication of medical information. Neoadjuvant therapy Treatment given as a first step to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, which is usually surgery, is given. Examples of neoadjuvant therapy include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma A term for a large group of cancers that arise in B cells or T cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can be aggressive (fast-growing) or indolent (slow-growing) types. B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is one example of a T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A group of lung cancers that are named for the kinds of cells found in the cancer and how the cells look under a microscope. The three main types of NSCLC are squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. NSCLC is the most common kind of lung cancer. O Oncogene A mutated gene that has the potential to cause cancer. Proto-oncogenes are oncogenes before they become mutated. Oncology The branch of medicine that focuses on cancer diagnosis and treatment. P Palliative care Care given to improve the quality of life and help reduce pain in people who have a serious or lifethreatening disease, such as cancer. The goal of palliative care is to prevent or treat, as early as possible, the symptoms of the disease and the side effects caused by treatment of the disease. It also attends to the psychological, social, and spiritual problems caused by the disease or its treatment. AACR Cancer Progress Report 2023 Glossary 188
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