You Don't Need to Fear Medical Terms
A diagnosis of colon cancer can bring with it a bewildering array of medical terms, new words, acronyms and phrases. For those without a medical background, all of this information can be overwhelming. Learning about some of the common medical terms used to describe how colon cancer is diagnosed and treated will help you navigate through this challenging time.
Learn more words and phrases about colon cancer and its treatment.
Med-Speak: Common Colon Cancer Medical Terms
Five medical terms you're likely to hear soon after a diagnosis of colon cancer are:
- Biopsy: A tissue sample that may be collected during a colon cancer screening exam. A biopsy can be used to diagnose or rule out a disease or condition. A colon biopsy is used to diagnose colon cancer.
Pronunciation: bi-op-see - Colectomy: Surgery to remove all or some portion of the colon. A colectomy may be the first step in the treatment of colon cancer.
Pronunciation: coal-ec-toe-mee - Lymph node: small round glands located throughout the body, which are part of the immune system and filter lymph fluid to remove viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, and other foreign particles.
Pronunciation: limf node - Sentinal lymph node:The first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. For example, sentinal lymph nodes for breast cancer typically are located in the armpit, near the affected breast.
Pronunciation: sen-tin-ul limf node - Staging: Staging is the process used to determine the extent of your disease, such as whether it is confined to your colon or has spread to other areas including lymph nodes or other organs.
Pronunciation: stage-ing
Learn more words and phrases about colon cancer and its treatment.
