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Adjuvant therapy: Therapy, such as medications, that is given in addition to a primary therapy, such as surgery.
Alopecia: Absence or loss of hair.
Antiemetics: Medications that are used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting.
Bone marrow: Material filling the cavities of bones. Bone marrow produces blood cells.
Cell cycle: The stages of cell division.
Central venous catheter: Thin tube that is placed into a large vein to maintain access for administering fluids and medications. The catheter remains in place as long as it is needed.
Chemotherapy: Treatment of disease with medication therapy. The term usually refers to cytotoxic medications given for cancer treatment.
Clinical trial: Carefully designed and supervised research study that tests the effectiveness of new cancer treatments.
Colony stimulating factors: Proteins that promote maturation of white blood cells. Also called growth factors.
Combination chemotherapy: Chemotherapy regimen in which more than one medication is used, either simultaneously or sequentially.
Courses: Series of chemotherapy treatments, typically administered over a period of three to 12 months.
Erythropoietin: Hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells.
Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF): A growth factor that stimulates maturation of granulocytes, one type of white blood cell.
Granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF): A growth factor that stimulates production of monocytes and macrophages, types of white blood cells.
Growth factors: Proteins that promote maturation of white blood cells. Also called colony stimulating factors.
Hormone dependent: Protein found on some cells to which hormone molecules will attach. One of the factors that helps determine adjuvant treatment.
Hormone therapy: The use of medications to block the effects of hormones on cancer cells.
Immunotherapy: Type of treatment that relies on stimulating the patient's immune system to attack tumor cells.
Intravenously: Injection into a vein through a thin needle or tube of medications and solutions.
Local treatments: Treatments that are limited to the area of the body that is affected.
Medical oncologist: Internal medicine physician who specializes in the systemic treatment of cancer.
Metastatic disease: When a tumor has spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system from its primary site to other parts of the body.
Micrometastases: Microscopic spread of cancer cells through the body, undetectable by standard medical technology.
Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy: Chemotherapy that is given before the primary therapy, such as surgery.
Platelets: A component in blood that is necessary for normal blood clotting.
Platelet counts: The number of platelets in the blood.
Port: A type of central venous catheter with a small plastic or metal container that is surgically implanted under the skin and is left in place for as long as ongoing treatments are required.
Primary chemotherapy: When chemotherapy is the only therapy received.
Red blood cells: One of the types of blood cells; the primary function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen throughout the body.
Red cell counts: The number of red cells in the blood.
Systemic adjuvant therapy: Using a treatment, usually medications, to destroy cells anywhere in the body.
Systemic therapy: Treatment involving the whole body, usually using medications.
White cell counts: The number of white blood cells in the blood. White blood cells are involved in fighting and preventing infection.
