Glossary for Radio-Oncology Field

 

Glossary for the Radio-Oncology Field

This glossary is for people who are interested in the radio-oncology field or work in this career. If you need help to talk to patients and need more terms in order to explain the treatment to them, you can use this glossary to help you do so. I found these words using my textbook, as well as the definitions. You can do your own research on other words to have a more fluid conversation with your patients or colleagues.

Brachytherapy

Noun

The treatment of cancer, especially prostate cancer, by the insertion of radioactive implants directly into the tissue.

Example: Your treatment will also include brachytherapy, which is a safer option in your case.

fr: Curiethérapie

Cancer

Noun

Any type of malignant growth or tumor, caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division.

Example: Her current blood work doesn't show cancer.

fr: Cancer

Chemotherapy

Noun

The treatment of disease by the use of chemical substances.

Example: Peter had very little time to rest and as a result was frequently admitted to hospital between chemotherapy cycles.

fr: Chimiothérapie

Dosimeter

Noun

An instrument for measuring the dose of X-rays or other radiation absorbed by matter or the intensity of a source of radiation.

Example: A radiation dosimeter badge turned positive.

fr: Dosimètre

Dosimetrist

Noun

A person who plans and calculates the proper amount of radiation dose for each treatment.

Example: The dosimetrist planned the treatment well and did a good calculation of the dose.

fr: Dosimétriste

External radiation

Noun

Radiation therapy that uses a machine located outside of the body to aim high-energy rays at cancer cells.

Example: A more plausible explanation is that exposure to external radiation is a marker of exposure to some other hazard, such as internal contamination by a radioactive substance or a chemical.

fr: Radiation externe

Gland

Noun

An organ in the human or animal body that secretes particular chemical substances for use in the body or for discharge into the surroundings.

Example: Iodine deficiencies cause goiter, which is the swelling of the thyroid gland, and hypothyroidism (Wallach 1969).

fr: Glande

Hormonal therapy

Noun

The use of hormones in medical treatment.

Example: Following surgery and radiotherapy, adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy or hormonal therapy is advocated for patients with early breast cancer.

fr: Hormonothérapie

Immune system

Noun

A system (including the thymus and bone marrow and lymphoid tissues) that protects the body from foreign substances and pathogenic organisms by producing the immune response.

Example: Stress can affect the immune system and breeding.

fr: Système immunitaire

Immunotherapy

Noun

Treatment of disease by inducing, enhancing, or suppressing an immune response.

Example: Therefore immunotherapy would offer an approach to circumventing the intrinsic drug resistance that currently underlies therapeutic failure.

fr: Immunothérapie

Inflammation

Noun

A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful.

Example: Splints 'support the joint, reduce stress to the joint capsule, reduce pain during motion and help decrease inflammation (Turner, Foster and Johnson, 2002, p558).

fr: Inflammation

Linear accelerator

Noun

A machine that creates high-energy radiation to treat cancers.

Example: The cyclotron uses the resonance principle as in the linear accelerator or 'linac' as they are sometimes known.

fr: Accélérateur linéaire

Lymph node

Noun

Each of a number of small swellings in the lymphatic system where lymph is filtered and lymphocytes are formed.

Example: Many cases are also found on the presentation of an enlarged lymph node during a routine check-up.

fr: Noeud lymphatique

Magnetic resonance imaging

Noun

A form of medical imaging that measures the response of the atomic nuclei of body tissues to high-frequency radio waves when placed in a strong magnectic field, and that produces images of the internal organs.

Example: The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in breast cancer is being examined in several distinct settings.

fr: Imagerie par résonance magnétique

Metastasis

Noun

The spread of a cancer from one part of the body to another; cells in the second tumor are like those in the original tumor.

Example: Cancer is a collection of diseases with the common features of uncontrolled cell growth followed by metastasis to surrounding tissues.

fr: Métastase

Palliative therapy

Noun

A treatment that may relieve symptoms without curing the disease.

Example: Knowledge of receptor status also aids the selection of adjuvant therapeutics following excision or radiation therapy, and palliative therapy if metastatic disease develops.

fr: Thérapie palliative

Radiation oncologist

Noun

A doctor who has specialized in using radiation to treat disease.

Example: The radiation-oncologist gave the treatment plan to the patient and wrote it in the file.

fr: Radio-oncologue

Radiation physicist

Noun

A person trained to ensure that the radiation machine delivers the right amount of radiation to the treatment sites.

Example: The radiation physicist had to fix the machine in order for us to use it today.

fr: Physicien des rayonnements or physicien médical

Tomotherapy

Noun

A type of radiation therapy in which the radiation is delivered slice-by-slice.

Example: Tomotherapy could be used to treat your cancer and is also a better option for you.

fr: Tomothérapie

X-ray

Noun

A photographic or digital image of the internal composition of a part of the body, produced by x-rays being passed through it and absorbed to different degrees.

Example: Send blood and urine cultures and get a chest X-ray.

fr: Radiographie

This glossary was made with the Virtual Writing Tutor glossary maker and grammar checker.