Glossary
Words you may hear your care team use when talking to you.
A
Advanced Melanoma
Melanoma that has appeared in one part of the body can move further away, to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, bones, brain, the intestines or the lymph nodes. This is known as advanced melanoma.
C
Cancer doctor (oncologist)
Cancer doctors, also known as oncologists, specialise in treating and managing people with cancer. They play a central role in looking after people with cancer.
Cancer Unit
Cancer unit is a specialist ward or a centre in a hospital that is dedicated to diagnosing, treating and supporting people with cancer.
Care team (multidisciplinary team)
If you have advanced melanoma, there will be a number of people involved in your care. A team of healthcare professionals from different specialties, known as a care team (or multidisciplinary team – MDT) will look at your individual case and try determine the best care options for you. They should work with you to plan your treatment and will be supporting you throughout your journey with cancer.
Checkpoint inhibitor
Checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy. They are used to treat different types of cancers, including advanced melanoma. These drugs block different proteins (called checkpoints) that stop the immune system from attacking the cancer cells. By doing this, checkpoint inhibitors allow the immune system to fight the cancer again.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that aims to kill cancer cells.
D
Dietitian
Dietitians are healthcare professionals that advise on what food, drink or supplements may be good for certain people.
Digestion
Digestion is the process your body takes to break down and get the goodness out of what you eat and drink. Your mouth, stomach and gut all help digest your food and drink.
Dysphagia
Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing certain foods or drinks, or a feeling of food getting stuck on the way down. Some people with dysphagia are not able to swallow at all.
F
Fatigue
Fatigue is a feeling of constant tiredness or weakness and can be physical, mental or a combination of both.
G
Gene
Genes are part of your DNA, and they are in almost all of the cells in your body. They carry information that determines what your cells do.
I
Immune system
Immune system is a complex network that is made up of various organs, cells and proteins. It protects your body from germs and the harmful substances they produce, and from cell changes that could make you ill.
Immune-related side effect
Immune-related side effects happen when the immune system mistakenly targets your healthy cells together with the cancer cells. It can target cells in various organs of the body, such as skin, lungs, colon (gut), joints or liver.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment option for advanced melanoma that is available for certain patients. There are a few different types that may be used alone or in combination with each other. This type of therapy essentially helps your own immune system fight the cancer.
IV
IV stands for 'intravenous', which means straight into a vein. An IV drip (or infusion) describes medicine that is delivered straight into the bloodstream over a certain amount of time.
M
Metastasis
Metastasis (pronounced 'meh-TAS-tuh-sis') is the movement of cancer cells from one part of the body (where they originated) to another.
Metastatic
Metastatic (pronounced 'meh-tuh-static') is used to describe a cancer that has the ability to metastasise ('meh-tuh-stah-size'), which means moving from one part of the body (where it originated) to another.
N
Nutrition
Nutrition means getting the energy, water and nutrients needed for our bodies to stay alive and as healthy as possible. We normally get nutrition by eating and drinking.
O
Oesophagus
The oesophagus is the tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach. It’s sometimes known as the food pipe, or gullet. When we eat and drink, food and liquid travels down the oesophagus and into the stomach.
Oncologist
Oncologists are doctors who specialise in treating and managing people with cancer. They play a central role in looking after people with cancer. You may also hear them being called 'cancer doctors' or 'cancer specialists'.
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that relates to cancer.
P
Prehabilitation (Prehab)
Prehabilitation (or prehab) means getting ready for cancer treatment, and it includes eating well and being a healthy weight, being physically active, and looking after your mental wellbeing.
Proteins
Proteins are a substance made in your body's cells. Genes tell your cells how to make proteins, which can affect how it behaves.
R
Regurgitation
Regurgitation is when swallowed food comes back up into the mouth.
S
Serious side effect
A side effect is considered serious if its result is death, threat to life, hospitalisation, disability or permanent damage, or a birth defect if the drug was taken by a mother during pregnancy.
Side effect
A side effect is an unwanted reaction caused by medication or other treatment.
Side effect severity
Side effects can be described as mild, moderate and severe. A mild or moderate side effect usually does not require you to stop the treatment, but it can make you feel uncomfortable, annoyed or distressed. Severe side effects include those that result in death or are life-threatening, those that result in permanent or significant disability, or hospitalisation, and those that cause birth defects if the drug was taken by a mother during pregnancy.
Specialist nurse
Specialist nurses play a vital role in providing expert support and guidance for people with cancer. 'Clinical nurse specialists' or 'research nurses' may also provide this care.
Stent
A stent is a plastic or metal tube. Stents can be used to widen the oesophagus or stomach if they are narrowed or blocked.
Stomach
The stomach is like a bag in your tummy, which holds food and helps digest it. When we eat and drink, food and liquid travel down the oesophagus and into the stomach.
T
Texture-modified diet
A texture-modified diet means changing the consistency of your food (for example, mashing or pureeing it), or choosing things that are easier to swallow and digest. This makes it easier and safer to eat.