A group of diseases in which altered cells acquire uncontrolled growth and invasive potential. Many form solid tumours, while some blood cancers do not; metastasis describes successful spread to another site.[ref]
Treatment that changes hormone production or hormone action to influence a hormone-responsive cancer. It targets a biological dependency and differs from assuming all cancers of an endocrine-related organ respond identically.
A cancer arising in breast tissue, commonly from epithelial lineages. Biological subtype and extent influence behavior, so an anatomical label does not describe one uniform disease.
A cancer involving ovarian tissue or classified within related tubo-ovarian disease categories. Distinct cellular origins and subtypes matter; the location of a mass alone does not determine its biology.
A primary cancer of lung tissue. It differs from metastasis to the lung, and its subtypes have different cellular and molecular properties.
A historical gross category for a pigmented tumour; it is not automatically synonymous with melanoma.
A description of the extent of a cancer, including local spread and involvement of other sites under a stated staging system. It differs from tumour grade, which describes microscopic characteristics.
A classification based on microscopic features associated with differentiation or proliferative behavior. It differs from tumour stage: a small localized cancer can still have high-grade cellular features.
A tumour arising from germ-cell lineages, including testicular and ovarian forms. The cell of origin distinguishes it from tumors arising from supporting or surface tissues in the same organ.
A cancer of blood-forming cells, commonly involving bone marrow and blood. Abnormal cell populations can interfere with normal blood production without forming a single solid mass.[ref]
Historical term for an excess of white blood corpuscles, especially the persistent organ-associated disorders subsequently classified as leukaemia. The old term does not make every raised white count malignant.
A cancer of lymphoid cells. It can involve lymph nodes or other tissues, distinguishing the cellular category from a requirement that every lesion begin as an enlarged node.
A cancer arising from melanocytes. Pigment production can vary, so a melanoma need not be visibly dark, and a dark lesion is not automatically melanoma.
A malignancy of plasma cells, often involving bone marrow and production of a clonal immunoglobulin or its components. Tissue injury and abnormal protein effects connect the cell population with systemic findings.
A malignant tumour with mesenchymal differentiation, including cancers of bone and soft tissues. It differs from epithelial carcinoma in cellular lineage rather than simply in anatomical depth.
A sarcoma showing fibroblastic differentiation. The microscopic diagnosis distinguishes malignant fibrous-tissue growth from a benign fibroma or nonneoplastic scar.
Historical designation for gelatinous malignant tissue, often associated with mucin. It is not a complete modern classification.
Historical soft, brain-like malignant growth. The gross appearance does not specify one modern diagnosis in histology.
A mature B-cell malignancy characterized by accumulation of a clonal population. Its initiation, indolent expansion and progression are distinct biological endpoints.
The interval between a defined starting event and detection of tumour development under a specified assay. Detection threshold and competing causes of death affect interpretation.
Continued survival or growth of established malignant disease. A gene required before initiation need not remain necessary after additional alterations accumulate.
A model in which tumours arise within the relevant host tissue rather than being introduced as an established graft. Defined engineered initiation still differs from a full human exposure history.
A mouse modified to contain selected human biological components, such as immune biological cells. Humanization is partial and does not automatically reproduce all human immune interactions.
A tumour-graft model using a genetically compatible host and donor, enabling investigation in an immune-competent setting. It generally uses mouse rather than human tumour biological cells.
A mouse model in which defined genetic changes are introduced to test disease mechanisms. Tissue, timing, expression level and genetic background constrain its relationship to human cancer.
Avoidance or suppression of immune-mediated elimination. Normal immune-regulatory mechanisms can be repurposed in a tumour context.
The organization of a tumour into related lineages sharing inherited changes. A clonal alteration need not be a causal driver because passengers can hitchhike during expansion.
The proportion of a sampled tumour preparation contributed by malignant biological cells. It affects interpretation of copy number, variant fractions and expression measurements.
A requirement for a particular activity in maintenance of a cancer under specified conditions. A dependency is not automatically an initiating driver or a selective therapeutic target.
Strong dependence of an established tumour on an oncogenic activity. Dependence can change as the tumour acquires cooperating or bypass alterations.
A myeloid malignancy classically associated with the BCR-ABL fusion. Dependence on a defined kinase driver provides a mechanistic basis for targeted inhibition.
Cancer invasion is penetration of cancer cells into surrounding tissue across the normal boundaries of their compartment. It is distinct from cell proliferation and from completion of distant metastatic colonization.
Invasion by connected or coordinated groups of cancer biological cells rather than only isolated migrants. Leader and follower biological cells can perform different tasks.[ref]
Articles by others on the same topic
The bane of multicellularity.