Resources

Glossary

Adenocarcinoma

Cancer that begins in the cells that line certain internal organs. In NSCLC, it is usually found in the tissues of the lung

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs found at the end of the bronchioles

Angiogenesis

The growth of new blood vessels, a process that is critical to the growth and spread of cancer

Anti-angiogenesis (Anti-angiogenic)

Acting to prevent the growth of new blood vessels

Antibodies

Proteins that destroy or weaken foreign substances that invade the body

Bronchi

The 2 main air passages leading from the windpipe (trachea) in the lungs. The bronchi provide a passage for air to move in and out of the lungs

Biologic therapy

Treatments that use natural body substances (proteins) or drugs made from natural body substances. These therapies can help in the treatment of cancer

Bronchiole

One of the smaller subdivisions of the bronchi

Central catheter (line) or port

A special type of tube inserted through a small opening into a large central vein in the chest. A permanent central catheter is designed to help people who require frequent infusions of certain medications avoid repeated injections in the arm

Chemotherapy

A type of treatment for cancer that is given either by mouth or by infusion into a vein. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells by interfering with the tumor cell's ability to grow and reproduce. Because chemotherapy drugs travel throughout the whole body, they can also affect normal cells

EGFR

Epidermal growth factor receptor-a type of receptor on the surface of tumor cells that plays a key role in tumor growth

Clinical trial

A research study conducted with people and designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new drug, usually in comparison with a standard treatment. If a drug is proven to work well in a clinical trial, it may become a new therapy that can help many people

External radiation

Like an x-ray, this type of radiation is most often used to treat lung cancer

First-line treatment

Cancer treatment is usually broken down into phases of treatment. First-line treatment refers to the first regimen you receive after being diagnosed with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic NSCLC

Growth factors

Signals sent out by tumor cells to promote growth of either the tumor itself or the blood vessels that supply it

Large undifferentiated carcinoma

A group of cancers in which the cells are large and look abnormal when viewed under a microscope

Immune system

The body's defense against infection and disease

Lobes

Sections found in the lungs. The right lung has 3 lobes and the left lung has 2

Locally advanced NSCLC

NSCLC that has spread to nearby areas

Lymph nodes

Small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that help fight infection and have a role in fighting cancer

Metastasis (metastatic)

The spread of cancer from the primary site or origin to distant sites in the body

Monoclonal antibody

An antibody produced in a lab by making multiple copies (or "clones") of a single immune cell. In cancer therapy, monoclonal antibodies are used to target specific substances in the body that help cancer cells grow

Non-small cell lung cancer

A group of lung cancers that includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma

Non-squamous NSCLC

A term that has been recently used to refer to lung cancer types other than squamous cell carcinoma (which generally arises in the lining or epithelium of the major airways; also known as the bronchi). Non-squamous lung cancers can be adenocarcinoma (cancer usually found in the outer part of the lung) and/or large cell carcinoma (cancer that can start in any part of the lung)

Pleura

The lining around the lungs that helps protect them and allows them to move during breathing

Primary tumor

The first cancer to form, usually named after the organ in which it develops

Radiation

A kind of treatment that uses high doses of x-rays to kill or shrink cancer cells

Recurrent NSCLC

NSCLC that has come back after treatment

Regimen

The combination and schedule of cancer treatments

Side effects

Unwanted changes in your body that occur during treatment

Squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts

Staging

A standardized way to classify the size of the cancer and if and where it has spread

Targeted therapy

A kind of treatment directed at a specific target, which affects the tumor in a different way than chemotherapy. Two examples of targeted therapies are anti-angiogenic therapy and an EGFR inhibitor

Trachea

Also known as the windpipe, the trachea serves as the main passage for air into the lungs

Tumor

An abnormal lump or mass of tissue, which can be cancerous or noncancerous

Unresectable

Unable to surgically remove part or all of an organ or other structure

VEGF

Vascular endothelial growth factor-one of the most common and powerful signals that a tumor uses to trigger growth of new blood vessels