Glossary of Cancer Terms - C-D

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CA-125 blood test - a blood sample is analyzed for a circulating protein hormone CA-125. Often, the amount of CA-125 in the blood directly relates to the amount of cancer cells in the body. This test is still under study.

carcinoembryonic antigen - (CEA) a substance normally found in fetal tissue. If found in an adult, it may suggest that a cancer, especially one starting in the digestive system, may be present. Tests for this substance may help in finding out if a colorectal cancer has recurred after treatment.

cervical intraepithelial neoplasia - CIN- a general term for the growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. Numbers from 1 to 3 may be used to describe how much of the cervix contains abnormal cells.

cervix - the lower, narrow end of the uterus that forms a canal between the uterus and vagina.

chemotherapy - treatment with drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often used with surgery and/or radiation to treat cancer when the cancer has spread, when it has come back (recurred), or when there is a strong chance that it could recur. It is the primary treatment of lymphoma.

chronic leukemia - a slowly progressing cancer of the blood-forming tissues.

clinical trials - a research study that tests how well new medical treatments or other interventions work in people. Each study is designed to test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease.

colon - the long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaining material, solid waste called stool, moves through the colon to the rectum and leaves the body through the anus.

colonoscopy - A visual examination of the entire colon and rectum, performed while the patient is sedated. A longer, flexible tube is placed through the rectum into the colon. The tube is linked to a video camera and display so the doctor can look for cancer or polyps. Polyps that are found can be removed using a wire loop that goes through the tube. Pieces of the polyp are then sent to a lab to see if cancer cells are present.

Color-Flow doppler - this test is a type of ultrasound that checks the blood flow. Since cancer is characterized by an increased blood flow to the affected area, it can be useful to detect ovarian cancer.

colostomy - an opening into the colon from the outside of the body. A colostomy provides a new path for waste material to leave the body after part of the colon has been removed. It may be temporary or permanent.

colposcope - a lighted magnifying instrument used for examination of the vagina and cervix.

cryosurgery - surgery performed with an instrument that freezes and destroys abnormal tissues. This procedure is a form of cryotherapy.

cryotherapy - any method that uses cold temperature to treat disease.

cryptorchidism - a condition in which one or both testicles fail to move from the abdomen, where they develop before birth, into the scrotum. Cryptorchidism may increase the risk for development of testicular cancer. Also called undescended testicles.

CT scan - Computed tomography scan. A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles; the pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. Also called computerized tomography and computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan.

culdocentesis - a needle is used to obtain a sample of fluid from the vaginal wall and the tissues surrounding the ovaries, which can then be analyzed for the presence of cancer cells.

curette - a spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge.

cystoscope - a thin, lighted instrument used to look inside the bladder and remove tissue samples or small tumors.

cystoscopy - a cystoscope, a slender tube with a lens and a light, is placed into the bladder through the urethra. Anything unusual can then be removed for a biopsy.

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debulking - a procedure used for advanced cases of cancer, frequently applied to the treatment of ovarian cancer. The ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus are all removed, as well as any cancer deposits the surgeon can see, in an effort to remove as many cancer cells as possible from the body.

diaphragm - the thin muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen.

diathermy - heat is carefully used to destroy and remove unhealthy cells.

digital rectal examination - DRE- an examination in which a physician inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for abnormalities.

dilation and curettage - D & C- a minor operation in which the cervix is expanded enough (dilation) to permit the cervical canal and uterine lining to be scraped with a spoon-shaped instrument called a curette (curettage).

direct laryngoscopy - a lighted fiber optic tube is placed through the patient's nose or mouth that allows the doctor to look at the larynx and other adjacent structures directly.

duct - a tube through which body fluids pass.

ductal carcinoma in situ - DCIS- cancer cells that start in the milk passages (ducts) but have not penetrated the duct walls into the surrounding tissue. This is a highly curable form of breast cancer that is treated with surgery, or surgery plus radiation therapy. Also called intraductal carcinoma.

dumping system - a group of symptoms that occur when food or liquid enters the small intestine too rapidly. These symptoms include cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. Dumping syndrome sometimes occurs in people who have had a portion of their stomach removed.

dysplasia - cells that look abnormal under a microscope, but are not cancer.

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