Cancer Health Article

ORGANIZATIONS

American Cancer Society (National Headquarters). 1599 Clifton Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30329. (800) 227-2345. <http://www.cancer.org>.

Cancer Research Institute (National Headquarters). 681 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10022. (800) 992-2623. <http://www.cancerresearch.org>.

National Cancer Institute. 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 31, room 10A16, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892. (800) 422-6237. <http://wwwicic.nci.nih.gov>.

Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt

KEY TERMS

Benign—A growth that does not spread to other parts of the body. Recovery is favorable with treatment.

Biopsy—The surgical removal and microscopic examination of living tissue for diagnostic purposes.

Bone marrow—Spongy material that fills the inner cavities of the bones. The progenitors of all the blood cells are produced in this bone marrow.

Carcinogen—Any substance capable of causing cancer by mutating the cell's DNA.

Chemotherapy—Treatment with drugs that are anti cancer.

Epithelium—The layer of cells covering the body's surface and lining the internal organs and various glands.

Hormone therapy—Treatment of cancer by inhibiting the production of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

Immunotherapy—Treatment of cancer by stimulating the body's immune defense system.

Malignant—A general term for cells that can dislodge from the original tumor, invade and destroy other tissues and organs.

Metastasis—The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another.

Radiation therapy—Treatment using high-energy radiation from x-ray machines, cobalt, radium, or other sources.

Sore—An open wound or a bruise or lesion on the skin.

Tumor—An abnormal growth resulting from a cell that lost its normal growth control restraints and started multiplying uncontrollably.

X rays—High-energy radiation used in high doses, either to diagnose or treat disease.