Occupational cancer - glossary
Adjuvant therapy
Treatment given after surgery to remove a cancer, with the aim of reducing the risk of the cancer returning
Advanced cancer
A general term describing stages of cancer in which the disease has spread from where it started (the primary site) to other parts of the body
Alopecia
Loss of hair
Cancer
Abnormal overgrowth of body cells, caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division
Anxiety
A multi-component response to a perceived threat or danger which can include psychological, physiological, cognitive and behavioural elements
Benign
Non-cancerous tumours that grow slowly in one place and once removed by surgery tend not to recur
Biopsy
Removal and examination of a sample of tissue from an area of the body
Carcinogen
A carcinogen is a substance or agent that can cause cancer or it increases the risk of developing cancer
Carcinoma
A form of cancer that comes from the lining of an organ or system
Chemotherapy
Use of drugs to treat cancer
Consultant
An experienced medical specialist or a senior doctor
Counselling
The opportunity to talk things over with a trained counsellor
Dermatologist
A physician who specialises in skin diseases
Hormone therapy
Treatment with hormones to control cancer growth
HSE
Health and Safety Executive
Immune system
The body’s main defence system against infections or foreign substances
Lung cancer
A disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung
Malignant
A mass of cancer cells that may invade nearby tissues or spread to distant areas of the body
Mesothelioma
A type of cancer that most often starts in the covering of the lungs
Metastatic cancer
Any cancer that has spread to other parts of the body
Nurse specialist
A nurse who has undergone further training and has additional skills and experiences in order to practice in a particular area of nursing
Occupational cancer
A cancer that is caused wholly or partly by exposure to a carcinogen at work
Occupational health nurse
Occupational health nursing is a nursing specialism which covers health and well-being in the workplace
Occupational physician
An occupational physician is a doctor with specialist training and qualifications in occupational medicine
Oncology
The study of cancer, its causes and treatment
Oncologist
A physician with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer
Prognosis
An assessment of the expected future course and outcome of a persons disease
Radiation therapy
Treatment with high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours
Radiologist
The one who specialises in understanding and interpreting scans and x-rays
Radiology
The use of x-rays and scans in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
Rehabilitation
This term is often used in a clinical context to describe the process whereby an individual uses the services of various professionals (eg doctors, nurses, physiotherapists) to restore any functionality they’ve lost due to illness or injury
Terminal cancer
A term mainly used for a cancer that can no longer be treated or cured
Tumour
An abnormal growth of cells or tissues