Cancer has its own language, and unfortunately, I am now bilingual. Here you’ll find medical terms, acronyms, Cancerland slang, and other words I’ve collected against my will over the years. Duolingo could never.
Note: This is not a comprehensive list of every piece of jargon that exists in the cancer universe. I’m simply collecting the terms I’ve encountered, used, Googled in a panic, or otherwise picked up during my time in Cancerland. I’ll continue adding to it as I go.
Abemaciclib (Verzenio®): A CDK4/6 inhibitor used to treat certain HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers by blocking proteins that help cancer cells grow and divide. A tiny pill with a very big job and, for some people, an extremely personal relationship with their bathroom.
Adjuvant Therapy: A type of treatment given after the initial treatment of breast cancer (surgery) to reduce the chance of the cancer returning. Some examples of adjuvant therapy include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and endocrine therapy.
Anastrozole: Anastrozole is used to treat early hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It is also used for first-line treatment of hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown advanced or metastatic (cancer that has spread) breast cancer. Anastrozole is also used to treat advanced breast cancer that has grown or spread after tamoxifen treatment.
ANC: Absolute neutrophil count; a number you never knew existed until it became extremely important
Aromatase Inhibitor (AI): A type of hormone therapy that lowers the amount of estrogen in the body and is commonly used to treat HR+ breast cancer. Not to be confused with the other AI currently trying to take over the world.
AYA: An acronym for “adolescent and young adult,” often used to describe the type of cancer patient diagnosed with cancer between the ages 15 and 39
Biopsy: A procedure where a small sample of tissue or cells is removed and examined to determine whether cancer is present. Just a tiny piece of you sent off to a lab to potentially change the entire trajectory of your life.
BRCA1 / BRCA2: BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene 1) and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene 2) are genes that produce proteins that help repair damaged DNA. Everyone has two copies of each of these genes—one copy inherited from each parent.
People who inherit a harmful change (also called a mutation or pathogenic variant) in one of these genes have increased risks of several cancers—most notably breast and ovarian cancer, but also several other types of cancer. People who have inherited a harmful change in BRCA1 or BRCA2 also tend to develop cancer at younger ages than people who do not have such a variant.
Breast Cancer Grade: A score describing how different cancer cells look from normal breast cells and how quickly they’re likely to grow. Grades range from 1 to 3. The higher the grade, the more aggressively the cells tend to behave. Not to be confused with cancer stage!
Breast Reconstruction: Surgery to rebuild the shape of a breast after a mastectomy or other breast cancer surgery, using implants, a person’s own tissue, or a combination of both.
Calcifications: Tiny deposits of calcium that can show up as white spots on a mammogram. Most are harmless, but certain patterns can be a sign of early breast cancer.
Cancerland: The alternate universe you enter after diagnosis
Cancer Card: The imaginary card permitting occasional special treatment, dark humor, or getting out of something because of cancer.
Cancer Muggle: A slang term used by people with cancer to describe anyone who has never had cancer
Cancer Olympics: Comparing who had the “worse” cancer, treatment, prognosis, etc. There are no medals. Everyone would prefer not to qualify.
Cancerversary: The anniversary of a cancer diagnosis—a date you never asked to commemorate but somehow know exactly when it rolls around every year. Part milestone, part emotional jump scare, part “holy shit, I’m still here.”
Capecitabine (Xeloda®): An oral chemotherapy drug used to treat breast cancer and several other cancers by interfering with cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide.
Capivasertib (Truqap™): A targeted therapy called an AKT inhibitor used with hormone therapy to treat certain HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancers. It blocks proteins cancer cells can use to grow and survive.
CBC: Complete blood count
CDK 4/6 Inhibitors: A class of oral medications used primarily to treat hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative breast cancer by blocking specific enzymes that drive uncontrolled cell division.
Chemo brain: The frustrating mental fog that can come with cancer treatment, where words disappear, thoughts wander off mid-sentence, and you walk into a room with absolutely no idea why you’re there. Basically, your brain has 47 tabs open and no one knows where the music is coming from.
Chemo Curls: Hair that grows back curly after chemotherapy despite having previously been straight.
Chemocuterie: A delicious snack of cheeses and crackers enjoyed while receiving care at the cancer center
Chemomoon: A trip a cancer patient takes after completing chemotherapy
Clinical Trial: A research study involving people that tests new treatments, medications, or approaches to cancer care to determine how safe and effective they are, and an important part of figuring out what works next.
ctDNA: Tiny fragments of tumor DNA floating around in your blood (see Signatera)
CT Scan: A scan that uses X-rays to create detailed images of the inside of your body and check for things like tumors, changes, or spread. Also known as lying perfectly still inside a giant donut while contrast makes you briefly wonder if you peed your pants.
DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma in Situ): Abnormal cells found inside a milk duct that have not spread into the surrounding breast tissue. Considered Stage 0 breast cancer, “in situ” essentially means the cells are still where they started.
DIEP Flap: A type of breast reconstruction that uses skin and fat from the lower abdomen to rebuild the breast while preserving the abdominal muscles.
Disease-Free Survival (DFS): The length of time after treatment that a person remains alive without signs or symptoms of cancer returning.
DOB: An acronym for “date of birth,” a request patients hear at every appointment multiple times
Drug Resistance: When cancer cells stop responding to a treatment that previously worked, allowing the cancer to grow or spread again. Cancer, unfortunately, is very good at finding workarounds.
Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS): Abnormal cells found inside a milk duct that have not spread into the surrounding breast tissue. Considered Stage 0 breast cancer, “in situ” essentially means the cells are still where they started.
Dx: Shorthand for “diagnosis”
Endocrine Therapy / Hormone Therapy: Treatment that blocks hormones or lowers their levels in the body to slow or stop hormone-sensitive cancers from growing
Estrogen: A hormone naturally produced by the body that plays a role in many functions, including the reproductive system and bone health. Some breast cancers use estrogen as fuel to grow, which is why hormone therapy often focuses on blocking it or lowering how much the body makes.
Exemestane (Aromasin®): An aromatase inhibitor used to treat HR-positive breast cancer by lowering the amount of estrogen the body makes.
Fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu®): A targeted treatment called an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) used for certain HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancers. It uses an HER2-targeting antibody to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.
Flat / Going Flat: Choosing not to have breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Foob: A reconstructed breast or breast form after mastectomy. Fake + boob = foob.
Frankenboob: Affectionate (or not-so-affectionate) terminology for a post-surgical/reconstructed breast while scars are doing their thing.
Fulvestrant (Faslodex®): A hormone therapy used to treat certain HR-positive breast cancers by binding to and breaking down estrogen receptors, making it harder for estrogen to fuel cancer growth. Given as injections in the butt, because cancer treatment likes to keep you humble.
Grief Tourist: A person who travels to the site of a tragedy or disaster, or someone who pretends to care about a person’s serious illness for social media attention without offering real support
Hematology/Oncology (Heme/Onc): The medical specialty that combines hematology (blood disorders) and oncology (cancer). Often seen on clinic signs, referrals, and every piece of paperwork you encounter during treatment.
HER2: Describes whether cancer cells have higher-than-normal levels of the HER2 protein, which helps cells grow. HER2+ cancers have too much of it, proving that even proteins can be overachievers in the worst possible way.
HR: Short for “hormone receptor.” Describes whether breast cancer cells have receptors for estrogen and/or progesterone. HR+ cancers can use hormones as fuel.
Immunotherapy: A type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC): A rare, aggressive type of breast cancer in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast, often causing redness, swelling, warmth, or skin that looks like an orange peel. Unlike many breast cancers, it may not cause a distinct lump.
Invasive Breast Cancer: Breast cancer that has spread beyond where it first developed into surrounding breast tissue. “Invasive” does not automatically mean metastatic as it can still be contained within the breast and nearby lymph nodes.
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): Breast cancer that begins in a milk duct and has grown into the surrounding breast tissue. It is the most common type of invasive breast cancer.
Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): Breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing lobules and has grown into surrounding breast tissue. The second most common type of invasive breast cancer and a sneaky little bastard that can sometimes be harder to detect on imaging.
Letrozole (Femara®): An aromatase inhibitor used to treat HR-positive breast cancer by lowering the amount of estrogen the body makes.
Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS): Abnormal cells found in the breast’s milk-producing lobules. Despite the name, LCIS isn’t considered breast cancer, but having it can mean an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the future.
Luminal A Breast Cancer: A subtype of breast cancer that is typically HR-positive, HER2-negative, and tends to grow more slowly than other subtypes.
Luminal B Breast Cancer: A subtype of breast cancer that is typically HR-positive but tends to grow faster and behave more aggressively than Luminal A. It can be HER2-positive or HER2-negative.
Lymph Nodes: Small, bean-shaped structures that are part of the lymphatic and immune systems and help filter lymph fluid. Cancer cells can sometimes travel to nearby lymph nodes, which is why doctors suddenly become extremely interested in your armpits.
Lymphedema: Swelling caused by a buildup of lymph fluid when the lymphatic system has been damaged or disrupted, often after lymph node removal or radiation
Maintenance Drugs: Medications used over a longer period to help control cancer or reduce the risk of it returning
Margins: The edges of tissue removed during cancer surgery, which are examined for cancer cells. “Clear” or “negative” margins mean no cancer cells were found at the edge.
Mastectomy: Surgery to remove one or both breasts to treat or reduce the risk of breast cancer. They give it a nice medical word, but let’s call it what it is: an amputation.
Metastatic: When cancer has spread from where it started to another part of the body (organs, bones, brain, etc.)
Menty B: A cute little nickname for a mental breakdown
Mets: Shorthand for metastases aka the places cancer has spread to elsewhere in the body
Moon Face: A rounder, puffier face that can happen as a side effect of steroids commonly used during cancer treatment. One small step for cancer treatment, one giant moon face for mankind.
MRI: A scan that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of the inside of your body. Basically, being slid into a very loud tube and instructed not to move while it performs an experimental techno album around you.
MyChart: A patient portal and also the world’s least enjoyable social media platform
NED or NEAD: Shorthand for “no evidence of disease” or “no evidence of active disease”
Neoadjuvant Therapy: Treatment given before the main treatment, usually surgery, to shrink a tumor or make it easier to remove.
Neuropathy: Nerve damage that can cause numbness, tingling, burning, pain, or weakness, especially in the hands and feet. A common side effect of some chemotherapy drugs.
Neutropenic: Having an abnormally low number of neutrophils and suddenly becoming extremely interested in everyone else’s germs
Olaparib (Lynparza®): A PARP inhibitor used to treat certain cancers with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, including some breast cancers. It blocks cancer cells from repairing damaged DNA, making it harder for them to survive and grow.
Oncologist: A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer
PARP Inhibitor: PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy commonly used to treat breast cancer and ovarian cancer, among others. They target PARP, or poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, which is a protein in cells that helps repair damaged DNA.
Paclitaxel (Taxol®): A chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat breast cancer and several other cancers by interfering with cancer cells’ ability to divide.
Paget Disease of the Breast: A rare form of breast cancer involving the skin of the nipple and often the areola, usually causing redness, itching, flaking, or crusting that can look like eczema.
Palbociclib (Ibrance®): A CDK4/6 inhibitor used with hormone therapy to treat certain HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancers. It blocks proteins that help cancer cells grow and divide.
Palliative Care: Specialized care focused on relieving pain, symptoms, and stress and improving quality of life during a serious illness. It can be given alongside cancer treatment at any stage and is not the same as hospice.
Pathologic Complete Response (pCR): When no remaining invasive cancer is found in the breast or lymph nodes after treatment given before surgery.
Peach Fuzz: That first tiny, soft hair growth after chemo. It feels almost like baby duck feathers and you will inspect approximately every single follicle.
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®): An immunotherapy drug that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Used to treat several cancers, including certain triple-negative breast cancers.
Pertuzumab (Perjeta®): A targeted therapy used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer by attaching to the HER2 protein and blocking signals that help cancer cells grow. Often given alongside trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and chemotherapy.
PET Scan: An imaging test that uses a small amount of radioactive tracer to highlight areas of increased metabolic activity in the body, which can help detect and monitor cancer.
PI3K Inhibitor: A type of targeted therapy that blocks the PI3K pathway, which some cancer cells use to grow and survive.
Pink Washing: A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products containing chemicals that are linked to the disease.
Primary Breast Cancer: Breast cancer that is still in the breast and/or nearby lymph nodes and has not spread to distant parts of the body
Port: The implanted device that gives your veins a break and inevitably receives a name
Port Access: When someone sticks a needle into said port and it is somehow both routine and deeply weird
Port Pillow: A tiny pillow that protects your port/incision from the seatbelt and becomes weirdly precious.
Pre-meds: Medications given before chemo to prevent nausea, allergic reactions, and other side effects. The opening act before the main event.
Prior Authorization: When your insurance company needs to approve a medication, test, or treatment before they’ll pay for it because apparently your doctor saying you need something was merely a suggestion.
Rads: Shorthand for radiation/radiation therapy
Radiation Oncology: The branch of oncology that uses radiation to treat cancer. Not to be confused with radiology, which takes the pictures; radiation oncology is the one that zaps you.
Raloxifene (Evista®): A selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that blocks estrogen’s effects in breast tissue. Primarily used to treat or prevent osteoporosis, it can also help reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in certain postmenopausal women.
Recurrence: Cancer returning after a period when it couldn’t be detected
Red Devil: Nickname for doxorubicin/Adriamycin, a red chemotherapy drug
Remission: When the signs and symptoms of cancer have decreased or disappeared, though it doesn’t necessarily mean the cancer is cured. The term is still used, but you may also hear more specific phrases like NED, NEAD, complete response, or stable disease.
Ribociclib (Kisqali®): A CDK4/6 inhibitor used with hormone therapy to treat certain HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers. It blocks proteins that help cancer cells grow and divide.
Ring the Bell: The tradition of ringing a bell after completing treatment; meaningful for some people, complicated as hell for others, and not everyone gets to do it.
Sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (Trodelvy®): A targeted treatment called an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) used to treat certain advanced or metastatic breast cancers. It targets a protein called Trop-2 and delivers chemotherapy directly to cancer cells.
Scanxiety: The special brand of anxiety that shows up before, during, and after cancer scans, often peaking while you wait for the results.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Degrader (SERD): A type of hormone therapy that binds to estrogen receptors and breaks them down, making it harder for estrogen to fuel HR-positive breast cancer.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM): A type of hormone therapy that changes how estrogen works in different tissues, including blocking its effects in breast tissue. Tamoxifen is the best-known example.
Signatera: A personalized ctDNA test and very much has “villain in a sci-fi movie” energy
Stable Disease: Cancer hasn’t significantly grown or spread
Stage / Staging: A way of describing how much cancer is present and how far it has spread. Breast cancer stages range from 0 to IV, with Stage IV meaning it has spread to a distant part of the body. Not to be confused with grade!
Survivor: A word some people embrace and others absolutely do not
Survivorship: The complicated life that exists during and after cancer treatment, when everyone expects you to “get back to normal” but normal packed its bags a long time ago. Less of a finish line, more of figuring out how to live in the after.
Tamoxifen: A medicine that blocks the effects of the hormone estrogen (called a selective estrogen receptor modulator, or SERM). Tamoxifen is a first choice among doctors for treating women who have not yet gone through menopause. The medicine can also be prescribed to women who have gone through menopause and to men.
Thriver: A term sometimes used by people living with Stage IV/metastatic cancer, where “survivor” doesn’t quite fit because there isn’t an after-cancer part (yet!) Still here, still living, still doing life, with cancer along for the ride.
Toxic Positivity: The insistence on finding the bright side of something that objectively sucks. Usually arrives dressed as “everything happens for a reason” when what you really needed was someone to say, “Yeah, this fucking sucks.”
Trastuzumab (Herceptin®): A targeted therapy used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer by attaching to the HER2 protein and helping block signals that tell cancer cells to grow. Often used with chemotherapy and/or other HER2-targeted treatments.
Triple Negative: A type of breast cancer that tests negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 aka three common targets used to treat breast cancer. Three negatives that, unfortunately, do not make a positive.
Tucatinib (Tukysa®): A targeted therapy called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) used to treat certain HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancers. It blocks signals from the HER2 protein that tell cancer cells to grow and is often used with trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and capecitabine (Xeloda®).
Tumor Markers: Substances found in blood, tissue, or other body fluids that can sometimes help doctors track cancer activity
Tx: Shorthand for “treatment”
Uniboob / Uniboober: Affectionate slang sometimes used after a unilateral mastectomy. Exactly what it sounds like.
Unremarkable: Medical terminology meaning nothing abnormal or concerning was found. Perhaps the only time in your life you will desperately hope someone describes you as unremarkable.
Zoladex: Zoladex (Goserelin): A hormone therapy that temporarily shuts down the ovaries to reduce estrogen production, often used to treat HR-positive breast cancer. Technically an injection, but really it is a medically sanctioned pellet gun shot into your abdomen through a giant-ass needle.
