Cachexia
A condition that causes weight loss and weakness; hard to reverse once it starts; commonly occurs in advanced cancer stages.
Cancer
A general term for the many diseases in which abnormal cells multiply and spread without control.
Carcinogen
Any substance that causes cancer.
Carcinoma
Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs.
CAR T-Cell Therapy
An immunotherapy treatment that removes T cells from a patient’s blood, genetically modifies them in the laboratory, and returns them to attack cancer cells. Most often used to fight blood-based cancers.
CBC
A blood test, also called a complete blood count, that measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
Chemo Brain
A common term used to describe the problems with thinking and memory that may occur before, during, or after cancer treatment.
Comorbidity
The condition of having two or more diseases at the same time.
Computerized Tomography Scan
A test, also called a CT or CAT scan, that uses a computer linked to an x-ray source to create 3-dimensional images of tissues, organs, and bones. During the test, the patient lies flat and is sent through a tube in which the x-ray machine rotates around the patient, transmitting x-rays to the computer. The scan may help diagnose disease or plan and evaluate treatment.
Contrast
A liquid, like a dye, that has special ingredients and is either swallowed or injected to show better detail in x-rays or scans
Cryosurgery / Cryoablation
A procedure using extreme cold to destroy cells.
