An abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination used alone or together with other therapies to treat breast cancer. It includes the chemotherapy medicines cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin), and fluorouracil. Also called CAF.

A type of vaccine that is usually made from an individual's own tumor cells or from substances taken from tumor cells. A cancer vaccine may help the immune system kill cancer cells.

Also called Xeloda. A medicine used to treat metastatic breast cancer that has not improved after treatment with certain other anticancer medicines. It is taken up by cancer cells and breaks down into 5-fluorouracil, a substance that kills tumor cells. Capecitabine is a type of antimetabolite.

Any substance that causes cancer.

Also called stage 0 disease. A group of abnormal cells that remain in the place where they first formed and have not spread. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue.

Also called carcinomatosis. A condition in which cancer is spread widely throughout the body, or, in some cases, to a relatively large region of the body.

Toxicity that affects the heart.

An anticancer medicine that belongs to the family of medicines called alkylating agents.

A group or series of case reports involving individuals who were given similar treatment. Reports of case series usually contain detailed information about the individuals who have received treatment. This includes demographic information (for example, age, gender and ethnic origin) and information on diagnosis, treatment, response to treatment and follow-up after treatment.

A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an X-ray machine. Also called computed tomography scan, computerized axial tomography scan, computerized tomography, and CT scan.

An increase in the number of cells as a result of cell growth and cell division.

The individual unit that makes up the tissues of the body. All living things are made up of one or more cells.

Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the central nervous system (CNS). Also called CNS metastasis.

A tube surgically placed into a blood vessel for the purpose of giving intravenous fluid and medicines. It also can be used to obtain blood samples. This device avoids the need for separate needle insertions for each infusion or blood test.

Brand name, Evoxac. A medicine that increases production of saliva and tears. It is being studied as a treatment for dry mouth caused by radiation therapy to the head and neck. It belongs to the family of medicines called cholinergic enhancers. Also called cevimeline hydrochloride.

A type of external radiation therapy that uses a special machine to make invisible, high-energy particles (protons or helium ions) that kill cancer cells. This type of radiation may cause less damage to nearby healthy tissue than radiation therapy with high-energy X-rays.

Chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy. Chemotherapy uses different agents to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells; immunotherapy uses treatments to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer.

In cancer prevention, a clinical trial that studies whether taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals or food supplements can prevent cancer. Also called agent study.

Treatment that combines chemotherapy with radiation therapy. Also called chemoradiotherapy.

A lab test that measures the number of tumor cells that are killed by a cancer medicine. The test is done after the tumor cells are removed from the body. A chemosensitivity assay may help in choosing the best medicine(s) for the cancer being treated.

A medicine used to treat cancer.

The muscles, bones and joints that make up the area of the body between the neck and the abdomen.

In traditional Chinese medicine, meridians are channels that form a network in the body, through which qi (vital energy) flows. According to this theory, blocked qi causes pain or illness: The flow of qi is reportedly restored by using pressure, needles, suction or heat at hundreds of specific points along the meridians.

Pain that can range from mild to severe, and persists or progresses over a long period of time.

A computer program that uses statistics to predict a person's risk for developing breast cancer based on family history.

Also called CBE. A physical exam of the breast performed by a health care provider to check for lumps or other changes.

A health professional who works directly with individuals receiving care, or uses data from those individuals to do research on health and disease and to develop new treatments. Clinical researchers may also do research on how health care practices affect health and disease.

A case series in which the individuals receive treatment in a clinic or other medical facility.

A method used to find out the stage of cancer (amount or spread of cancer in the body) using tests that are done before surgery. These include physical exams, imaging tests, lab tests (such as blood tests) and biopsies.

Also called clinical study. A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of a disease.

A health professional who takes care of individuals in need of care.

Also called CMF. An abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination used alone or with other therapies to treat breast cancer. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. It includes the medicines cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil.

Also called CBT and cognitive therapy. A type of psychotherapy that helps individuals change their behavior by changing the way they think and feel about certain things. It is used to treat mental, emotional, personality and behavioral disorders.

A research study that compares a particular outcome in groups of individuals who are alike in many ways but differ by a certain characteristic (for example, female nurses who smoke compared with those who do not smoke).

Treatment using more than one anticancer agent.

Also called palliative care, supportive care and symptom management. Care given to improve the quality of life of individuals who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of comfort care is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment.

Also called CAB. In medicine, a group of non-scientist volunteers who serve as a link between a community and clinical trial researchers. A Community Advisory Board may review and monitor clinical trials and help teach the community about the trials.

A way to provide an investigational therapy to an individual who is not eligible to receive that therapy in a clinical trial, but who has a serious or life-threatening illness for which other treatments are not available. Compassionate use trials allow individuals to receive promising but not yet fully studied or approved cancer therapies, when no other treatment option exists. Also called expanded access trial.

Practices often used to enhance or complement standard treatments. They generally are not recognized by the medical community as standard or conventional medical approaches. Complementary medicine may include dietary supplements, acupuncture, massage therapy, spiritual healing, and meditation.

Also described as a 'complete response' to therapy, or as 'no evidence of disease.' The disappearance of all signs of cancer in response to treatment. This does not always mean the cancer has been cured.

Treatment to reduce lymphedema (swelling caused by a buildup of lymph fluid in tissue). This therapy uses massage to move the fluid away from areas where lymph vessels are blocked, damaged, or removed by surgery. This helps remove extra fluid. The affected area is then wrapped in a special bandage. Later, a compression garment (tight-fitting, elastic piece of clothing) is worn to keep fluid from building up again.

In medicine, a medical problem that occurs during a disease, or after a procedure or treatment. The complication may be caused by the disease, procedure or treatment or may be unrelated to them.

A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an X-ray machine. Also called CAT scan, computerized axial tomography scan, computerized tomography, and CT scan.

A treatment that is given at the same time as another.

Treatment that is given after cancer has disappeared following the initial therapy. Consolidation therapy is used to kill any cancer cells that may be left in the body. It may include radiation therapy or treatment with medicines that kill cancer cells. Also called intensification therapy and postremission therapy.

In medicine, describes the delivery of health care over a period of time. In individuals with a disease, this covers all phases of illness from diagnosis to the end of life.

A symptom or medical condition that makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable, because a person is likely to have a bad reaction. For example, having a bleeding disorder is a contraindication for taking aspirin, because treatment with aspirin may cause excess bleeding.

A dye or other substance that helps show abnormal areas inside the body. It is given by injection into a vein, by enema or by mouth. Contrast material may be used with X-rays, CT scans, MRI, or other imaging tests.

A clinical study that includes a comparison (control) group. The comparison group receives a placebo, another treatment, or no treatment at all.

A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using medicines, radiation, or surgery. Also called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, mainstream medicine, orthodox medicine and Western medicine.

To adjust to new situations and overcome problems.

The removal of a tissue sample with a wide needle for examination under a microscope. Also called core needle biopsy.

Any steroid hormone made in the adrenal cortex (the outer part of the adrenal gland). They are also made in the lab. Corticosteroids have many different effects in the body and are used to treat many different conditions. They may be used as hormone replacement, to suppress the immune system and to treat some side effects of cancer and its treatment.

A type of medicine used to treat inflammation and pain that is being studied in the prevention and treatment of cancer. COX inhibitors belong to the family of medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs).

The process of cooling and storing cells, tissues or organs at very low or freezing temperatures to save them for future use.

A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an X-ray machine. Also called CAT scan, computed tomography scan, computerized axial tomography scan and computerized tomography.

In medicine, the total amount of a medicine or radiation given to an individual over time; for example, the total dose of radiation given in a series of radiation treatments.

To end a disease, to heal or restore health; a treatment that restores health.

Cancer that has spread from the breast to the skin.

A medicine used to help reduce the risk of rejection of organ and bone marrow transplants by the body. It is also used in clinical trials to make cancer cells more sensitive to anticancer agents.

Also called CSP and phyllodes tumor. A type of tumor found in breast. It is often large and bulky and grows quickly. It may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer) and may spread to other parts of the body.

Cell-killing.