Glossary of Cancer Terms - Q-S

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radiation therapy - the use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external- beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body in the area near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy, implant radiation, or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that circulates throughout the body. Also called radiotherapy.

radical cystectomy - surgery to remove the bladder as well as nearby tissues and organs.

radical prostatectomy - an operation in which the entire prostate gland plus some tissue around it is removed. Radical prostatectomy is used most often if the cancer is thought not to have spread outside the gland, particularly for younger men.

radon - a radioactive gas that is released by uranium, a substance found in soil and rock. When too much radon is breathed in, it can damage lung cells and lead to lung cancer, particularly in smokers.

rectum - the last six inches of the large intestine.

recurrence - the return of cancer, at the same site as the original (primary) tumor or in another location, after the original tumor has disappeared.

Reed- Sternberg cell - a type of cell that appears in people with Hodgkin's Disease. The number of these cells increases as the disease advances.

refractory cancer - cancer that has not responded to treatment.

resection - removal of tissue or all or part of an organ by surgery.

retroperitoneal - having to do with the area outside or behind the peritoneum (the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen).

RTPCR - a molecular process which can multiply small amounts of DNA or other particles and make it possible to identify their presence in small samples. It has been used to determine the presence of circulating prostate cancer cells. This process remains somewhat experimental.

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sarcoma - A cancer of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue.

Schiller test - a test in which iodine is applied to the cervix. The iodine colors healthy cells brown; abnormal cells remain unstained, usually appearing white or yellow.

scrotum - in males, the external sac that contains the testicles.

semen - the fluid that is released through the penis during orgasm. Semen is made up of sperm from the testicles and fluid from the prostate and other sex glands.

seminal vesicles - glands that help produce semen.

seminoma - a highly curable type of cancer in the testicles which grows slowly and rarely spreads to other areas of the body.

Sertoli cell tumors - a main type of stromal tumor. Develop from the cells that nourish and support the germ cells. These rarely spread, but when they do intensive chemotherapy is necessary to treat them.

sigmoidoscopy - a visual examination of the lower portion of the colon and rectum. A slender, flexible, lighted tube is placed in the rectum and allows the doctor to look at the inside of the rectum and part of the colon for cancer or polyps.

small cell lung cancer - A type of lung cancer in which the cells appear small and round when viewed under a microscope. Also called oat cell lung cancer.

small intestine - the part of the digestive tract that is located between the stomach and the large intestine. Where the digestive processes occur.

soft palate - the back muscular portion of the roof of the mouth.

spermatic cord - Blood vessels and ducts from the testicles to prostate, seminal vesicles.

spleen - an organ that is part of the lymphatic system. The spleen produces lymphocytes, filters the blood, stores blood cells, and destroys old blood cells. It is located on the left side of the abdomen near the stomach.

sputum - mucus coughed up from the lungs.

sputum cytology - sputum is studied to see if cancer cells from the lungs are present.

squamous cell carcinoma - cancer that begins in squamous cells which are thin flat cells resembling fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of the hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. Also called epidermoid carcinoma.

squamous cells - flat cells that look like fish scales under a microscope. These cells cover internal and external surfaces of the body.

squamous intraepithelial lesion - a general term for the abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix. The changes in the cells are described as low grade or high grade, depending on how much of the cervix is affected and how abnormal the cells appear.

stem cells - the cells that all cells come from. Most frequently refers to blood cells but can be nervous tissue, heart, etc.

stoma - a surgically created opening from an area inside the body to the outside.

stomach - an organ that is part of the digestive system. It helps in the digestion of food by mixing it with digestive juices and churning it into a thin liquid.

stroma - the supporting framework of an organ, typically consisting of connective tissue.

Strontium 89 - a radioactive substance that is used for treatment of bone pain caused by metastatic cancer in bones, such as prostate, breast, etc. It is injected intravenously (into a vein), and is picked up by the metastatic site.

subglottis - the lowest part of the larynx; the area from just below the vocal cords down to the top of the trachea.

superficial - affecting cells on the surface. Not invasive.

supraglottis - the upper part of the larynx (voice box), including the epiglottis; the area above the vocal cords.

systemic therapy - treatment that uses substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cells all over the body.

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