A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Cancer: A general term for more than 100 different diseases that involve the uncontrolled growth and division of abnormal cells. These cells form tumors that can destroy surrounding tissue and spread throughout the body.
Cancer vaccines: Proteins containing cancer cells, parts of cells, or pure antigens, which are injected into the bloodstream. These proteins mark tumor cells so they are recognized and attacked by the immune system.
CancerVax: An allogeneic whole tumor cell vaccine currently in phase III clinical trials as an adjuvant therapy for high-risk melanoma.
Carcinogen: A substance that causes cancer.
Carmustine (BCNU): A chemotherapy agent sometimes used to treat metastatic melanoma. It belongs to a class of chemotherapeutic agents called nitrosoureas.
CAT scan (computed axial tomography): See CT scan.
Cataract: Clouding of the lens of the eye or its surrounding membrane, which can cause distorted or impaired vision. The development of cataracts is associated with long-term overexposure, without appropriate protection, of the lens to ultraviolet radiation.
CD4 cells: Another name for helper T cells.
CD8 cells: Another name for cytotoxic T cells.
Chemotherapy: A systemic cancer treatment in which anticancer drugs are given orally or by injection. These drugs travel through the bloodstream to kill cancer cells.
Cisplatin (cDDP): A platinum compound sometimes used as a chemotherapeutic agent for metastatic melanoma.
Clark level: Method described by Dr. Wallace Clark of measuring how deeply the primary tumor has penetrated the skin based on anatomic layer. A Level I melanoma is confined to the lower boundary of the epidermis and more commonly called melanoma in situ. Level II-IV melanomas describe different degrees of penetration or invasion into the dermis and fat layers below the skin. A Level V melanoma has penetrated the subcutis. In the 2002 revised staging system for melanoma, Breslow thickness has replaced Clark level as the more accurate method of measuring tumor penetration.
Clinical trial: A research study to evaluate new therapies, improve cancer care and patient quality of life, or prevent the development of cancer itself.
Collagen: A connective tissue protein in the dermis made by fibroblasts that gives the skin its resilience and strength.
Colony stimulating factors: A family of blood growths factors under study to determine their role in immune response to melanoma.
Complement: A complex series of blood proteins whose action "complements" the work of antibodies. The activation of complement involves a precise sequence of events leading to the recognition and destruction of antigens.
CTscan (computed tomography): Also known as CAT scan. A diagnostic technique in which a rotating x-ray beam takes a series of pictures of the body from many angles. A computer combines the information from all these pictures and makes a detailed, cross-sectional image of the body. A CT scan may be used to see if melanoma has spread to regional lymph nodes or distant sites in the body.
Compound nevi: Raised, uniformly pigmented moles with melanocytes in both the dermo-epidermal junction and the dermis.
Congenital nevi: Moles that are present at birth or within a few months of birth.
Congenital nevi: Moles that are present at birth or become apparent in early infancy. Most congenital nevi are small and pose a low risk of developing into melanomas.
Control group: In a clinical trial, the group of subjects assigned to receive the standard treatment. This group is compared to the group receiving the new treatment to determine which treatment is more effective.
Cutaneous: Related to the skin.
Cutaneous melanoma: Melanoma that starts in the skin. Also called malignant melanoma.
CVD: a combination of cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine sometimes used in the treatment of advanced melanoma.
Cytokines: Proteins produced naturally in the body that stimulate the activity of immune cells, including cytotoxic T cells. Forms of cytokines are in use as anti-cancer drugs, generally made by genetic engineering or recombinant DNA.
Cytotoxic T cells: A type of T cell that kills cancer cells and virus-infected cells. Also known as CD8 cells.