InterActive Medical Terminology
Based on the best selling text: An Introduction to Medical terminology for Health Care (Fourth Edition) by A.R.Hutton published by Elsevier Ltd.
Oncology
The interactive learning material in this unit is arranged into an introduction and four sections:
Click on a section and scroll down the page completing the exercises in the sequence they are presented.
Note: FlashCards and a check list of combining forms for this unit are at the end of Section 3.
Click on Pathological terms for exercises on signs of illness and disease relating to oncology.
A short list of common medical words and abbreviations associated with oncology is available from Word Check
Introduction
Oncology is the branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment of malignant tumors commonly called cancers.
A malignant tumor is a mass or swelling formed from normal cells in a tissue that have changed into cancer cells. These new cells divide relentlessly every few hours producing a primary tumor; this may begin in an organ such as the breast or colon.
Tumors spread when the primary tumor releases cells into the blood or lymph, and the tumor cells multiply in new sites. The process of spreading of malignant cells from the primary tumor in this way is called metastasis and the new growths of cells form secondary tumors or metastases.
As malignant tumors grow they consume nutrients, depriving normal cells of their metabolic components. A clinical feature called cachexia is seen in advanced stages of the disease when the body appears to suffer from malnutrition and 'wastes' away.
Note some tumors are described as benign these remain localized and many are harmless. A benign tumor may need to be removed if it presses against other tissues or causes discomfort.
In this first section we will examine terms that relate generally to tumors and cancer. First look at the difference between normal dividing cells and cancer cells in Anatomy Exercise 1.
Anatomy Exercise 1
Section 1: Words relating to tumors and cancer
First look at the combining forms of Roots 1 - 3 that all refer to tumors or generally to cancer:
| Root 1 | Onco- | from a Greek word ogkos meaning bulk. Here onc/o means a tumor. |
| Combining form | Onc/o | tumor |
| Root 2 | Carcin- | from a Greek word karkinos meaning crab. Here carcin/o means carcinoma. |
| Combining form | Carcin/o, carcinomat- | carcinoma (a malignant tumor that arises from epithelial tissue) |
| Root 3 | Cancer- | from a Latin word cancer meaning crab. Here cancer/o means a cancer. |
| Combining form | Cancer/o, cancr/i | cancer (a general term for any malignant tumor) |
Now learn the first set of suffixes by completing Dictionary Exercise 1. Remember repetition is very important as it helps fix the meanings into your memory. When you are satisfied you can remember their meanings continue with the exercises.
Dictionary Exercise 1
Word Exercise 1
Now learn the second set of suffixes by completing Dictionary Exercise 2. When you are satisfied you can remember their meanings continue with the exercises.
Dictionary Exercise 2
Word Exercise 2
Now practice spelling word associated with tumors and cancer from their definitions by completing Word Exercise 3.
Word Exercise 3 Spelling
Finally in this section practice spelling words associated with tumors and cancer from dictation by completing Word Exercise 4.
Word Exercise 4 Dictation
Before we leave this section you should be aware of another term that is often used to mean a tumor - neoplasm. This comes from neo- meaning new and -plasm meaning a growth or formative substance that is a new growth of cells.
neoplastic is used to mean pertaining to a growth of new cells (tumor cells)
neoplasia is used to mean the condition of formation of new cells (a neoplasm)
1 environmental exposure to chemicals, radiation and viruses
2 hereditary factors such as possessing the genes for breast cancer
Quick reference
| Cancer/o | = |
cancer |
| Cancr/i | = |
cancer |
| Carcin/o | = |
carcinoma (a malignant tumor) |
| Onc/o | = |
tumor |
