World Cancer Day: Difficulty Understanding The Heavy Medical Terms? Cancer Lingo Simplified

Whenever we pay a visit to the Doctor’s clinic we are given a written prescription from the doctor. Reading and understanding handwriting gets challenging. Like every field, Medicine has its own language, and understanding the terminology used by doctors is sometimes beyond a regular person's capability. If finding the right doctor and getting the consultation is a process, then getting the right diagnosis and understanding the heavy medical terms is another process.

 

To make these hectic doctor’s appointments a little less complicated we bring you the medical terms in the simplest form for your better understanding of the disease.

 

Cancer is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose, manage and treat. When doctors discuss cancer and its treatment, it may appear as if they speak a foreign language.

So here are a few terms that you can refer to before making your next doctor’s appointment.

 

Let’s start with the basic terms-

 

 

The human body is made up of cells. When the cells grow uncontrollably and reproduce and start to destroy the healthy tissue in the body they cause cancer. The human body is made up of cells. When the cells grow uncontrollably and reproduce and start to destroy the healthy tissue in the body they cause cancer.

 

 

 

 

A tumor is a mass/lump or a group of abnormal cells that form in the body when they don’t die. It is not necessary that the tumor is cancerous. It can be benign(Non-Cancerous or does not spread) or malignant (Cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body.)

 

Also Read: Difficulty Understanding The Heavy Medical Terms? Cancer Lingo Simplified #2

 

 

A benign tumor consists of non-cancerous cells. In some cases, benign tumors can grow but they do not spread to other parts and organs of the body. The tumor has distinct, smooth and regular borders. Most of the time the tumor does not return after it is removed.

 

 

 

 

A malignant tumor consists of cancerous cells. The malignant tumor grows quickly and spreads to other body parts of the body. They have irregular borders.

 

 

A Biopsy is an examination of the tissues or cells that are removed from a lesion. Biopsies are most often done to look for cancer. But biopsies can help identify by making other conditions. A doctor would recommend doing a biopsy when an inflammatory lesion is not responding to conservative therapy after the prescribed days. Biopsies can often diagnose or rule out diseases.