Términos y definiciones que tuvimos que aprender durante nuestra estancia en Boston. No serán traducidos porque así es como los tuvimos que asimilar…
Common Lymphoma Terms:
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC): A measurement of the number of mature neutrophils (a type of blood cell) that are available for fighting infection. A low ANC increases the risk of infection.
Adverse reaction: A side effect caused by a drug or therapy.
Allogeneic transplant: A procedure in which a patient receives bone marrow or stem cells donated by another person.
Aggressive lymphomas: Lymphomas that are fast growing. These types of lymphoma generally need to be treated immediately, but there is a good chance for long-term cure. These lymphomas are also called intermediate-grade or high-grade lymphomas.
Alopecia: Hair loss. Alopecia is almost always temporary; hair grows back when therapy is finished.
Anemia: A shortage of red blood cells, causing weakness and fatigue.
Antibody: A substance made by B-lymphocytes that reacts with antigens (particular identifying proteins) on toxins, bacteria and some cancer cells and either kills or marks them for removal.
Antiemetic: A drug that reduces or prevents nausea and vomiting.
Apheresis: The part of the stem cell transplantation procedure in which stem cells are removed from the blood.
Autologous transplant: A type of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation in which a patient receives his or her own cells.
Biologic therapy: Treatment that uses or stimulates the immune system or other body systems to fight infection and disease.
Biopsy: Removal of a small piece of tissue (for example, a lymph node) for evaluation under microscope.
Bone marrow: Spongy material found inside the bones. It contains immature cells called stem cells that develop into three types of cells; red blood cells that deliver oxygen to all parts of the body and take away the waste product carbon dioxide; white blood cells that protect the body from infection; platelets that help the blood to clot.
Bulky disease: In lymphoma, bulky disease denotes site of disease (nodal mass) that is large – this generally is defined as greater than ten (10) centimeters in any dimension, though some studies/investigators use other definitions (e.g. 7 cm). Bulky disease can be less responsive to treatment and therefore may require additional treatment, such as radiation after chemotherapy, depending on the circumstance.
Cerebrospinal fluid: Fluid that is present around the spine and brain. It may be examined to determine if NHL has spread to these parts of the body.
Chemotherapy regimen: Combinations of anti-cancer drugs given at a certain dose in a specific sequence according to a strict schedule.
Complete remission (CR): Term used when all signs of the disease have disappeared after treatment.
CT or CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan: This imaging test provides a series of detailed pictures of the inside of the body using an x-ray machine linked to a computer.
Disease Progression: The term used if the disease worsens despite treatment (also called treatment failure).
Dose intensity: A term used to describe giving the highest possible doses of a drug over a specific period of time with acceptable side effects. This approach has been shown to be very effective in curing some cancers, including some aggressive lymphomas.
Durable remission: When a complete response lasts for years. In most cases, the longer the remission the better the long-term outcome and possibility of cure.
Event-free survival: Period of time starting from treatment in which no defined events (disease progression or death) occur.
Extranodal disease: Lymphoma that has spread outside the lymphatic system.
False-negative: Test report is “normal” even though lymphoma may be present.
False-positive: Test report is “abnormal” even though lymphoma is not present.
Grade: A method of classifying a tumor on the basis of how aggressively it is growing.
Harvesting: A procedure in which stem cells are obtained from the blood or bone marrow for use in repopulating the body’s cells after high-dose chemotherapy.
Idiotype vaccine: A lymphoma vaccine that is custom-made to attack an individual patient’s lymphoma and which contains idiotype tumor material and an immune stimulant.
Immunotherapy: See biologic therapy.
Indolent lymphoma: Lymphoma that grows slowly and ofyen has few symptoms. Also called low-grade lymphoma.
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): An enzyme found in the blood. Higher levels of LDH suggest that the lymphoma may be more aggressive.
Monocional antibodies: Monocional antibodies are biologic therapies that act specifically against a particular antigen. Using new technologies, scientists can now produce large amounts of antibody that can be directed to a single target (or antigen) on the cell’s surface. Monocional antibodies have been developed to help combat specific cancers, including some forms of lymphoma.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A MRI uses magnets and radio frequency waves to produce images of the inside of the body. A MRI can provide important information about tissues and organs that is not available from other imaging techniques.
Mucositis: The medical term for source of the mouth or inflammation of the lining of the digestive system.
Myelosuppresion: A reduction in the bone marrow’s ability to make red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Neutropenia: An abnormally low level of neutrophils (the white blood cells responsible for fighting bacterial infections).
Partial remission: The term used when a cancer has shrunk in size by least in half, but has not totally disappeared. The cancer can still be detected and other treatments may be recommended.
PCR (Polymerase chain reaction): A molecular test that can identify small amounts of genetic material.
PET (positron emission tomography) scan: PET scans may be used instead of gallium scans to identify areas in the body that are affected by lymphoma . This test evaluates metabolic activity in different parts of the body using a radioisotope.
Prognosis: The likely outcome of a disease, including the chance of recovery.
Radioimmunotherapy: A therapy that is prepared by attaching a radioactive isotope to a monocional antibody.
Refractory disease: A cancer that is resistant to treatment.
Regimen: A specific combination of drugs (chemotherapy), their doses and their schedules of administration. A regimen may also include radiotherapy.
Relapse: The return of cancer after treatment. Lymphoma may recur in the area where it first started, or it may relapse in another place.
Remission: The absence of disease. Remission does not necessarily mean cure. A patient is considered in remission when the lymphoma has been treated and tumors have diminished by at least 50 percent (partial) or have totally disappeared (complete).
Salvage Therapy: Therapy that is given if the primary therapy is not successful or if the disease disappears and then comes back.
Stage: The extend of cancer in the body, including whether the disease has spread from the original site to other body parts.
Standard therapy: The most widely used primary therapy.
Synergism: The term used when two or more drugs given together provide a better anti-cancer effect than expected from the additive effects from the medications alone.
Toxicities: The unwanted side effects of cancer therapies, such as decrease in blood cells, nausea and vomiting, and hair loss.
Watchful waiting: An approach where no immediate medical, surgical, or radiation therapy is given. Patients are followed closely to make sure the cancer does not progress. Watchful waiting is an appropriate option for some patients with indolent (slow growing) non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
ACRONYMS:
CBC Complete blood cell count
CR Complete remission
CT CAT Scan
MoAb Monocional antibody therapy
PET Positron Emission Tomography
PFS Progression-Free Survival
PR Partial Remission
RIT Radioimmunotherapy
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