Help with terminology
 

Hi All
I see a quite a few posts with terms like MUGA scans CA 123 etc. This terminology is different from what is in use here.Can Joe or some one else give a small note of the various terms commonly used. It will enable me to follow the posts better
Thanks
Pibikay

Re: Help with terminology
 

A MUGA test is a nuclear medicine test to check heart function. Another heart test called an eccocardiogram (ultra sound of the heart) can also be used. CA or CEA tests are blood tumor marker tests that sometimes help doctors determine the total amount of cancer in the body. CA and CEA test results can also be influenced by inflammation and benign conditions such as cysts and benign tumors.

Re: Help with terminology
 

PBK,

This is a Website where you can search any terms you come across: http://www.cancer.net/portal/site/patient

From our Her2support Board,

Click on 'Home' on the top bar, then

'Resources' on the Welcome page;

'People living with cancer';

CancerNet

As you can see, there are many other Web links available for cancer research. My personal favorite is the Medline Plus:

http://medlineplus.gov/

Re: Help with terminology
 

Anyone looking for a dictionary on Her2 BC...

Re: Help with terminology
 

Jackie,
First off best of luck w/your husb. Things will work out the way that is meant to be. It is rough for me & my husb.My mom has died from breast cancer i have no dad 1 aunt living in state who helps evertime w/ appointments. So we cant get babysitters last went out together in mar 2010. i dont work as I left my job to take care of my second newborn and my husband is a police officer who works 7 days p/week 12 hour shifts sometimes no weekend or anything off to spend together...life can get lonely, but when this is done and im being positve it will be..I am blessed w/ knowing what has become the true important thing in life. One day @ a time and we will cross that bridge when we get there. Its rough having minimal family and a husb always working...and then "expanders for a chest w/no hair or nails..however once again all materalistic.

And I do have a question.. finishing chemo aug 19 do you know of any foods or vitamins to help for preventative measures w/ her 2+++ breast cancer er pr- .

i do exercise 4mile 3x per week on treadmill 2mile run @ 5.7-6.3 and 4.0 walk 2miles 5%incline. weight 2x weekly 30-45 min spin or bootcamp 2-3x per month to throw something in diffrent..I weigh 115 @ 5'4 I would consider myself to eat a lot as the gym will make you more hungry

best of luck ...im new here so send me a private message if you feel the need to theraputic vent..we wont be normal in any tragidy if there were no downs..
sending you courage and love
Joletta

Re: Help with terminology
 

http://www.cancer.net/portal/site/patient


http://medlineplus.gov/

Re: Help with terminology
 

Please explain, what are CLEAR MARGINS and NO VASCULAR INVASION in your signatures and why is it important? :)

Re: Help with terminology
 

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/margins.jsp

The term 'clear margins' is not listed on the link. However, surgeons use the expression all the time. I think it is a perception from the surgeon's point of view - 'the margin is clear, there's nothing [no cancer cells] there'. It also sounds less confusing than a 'negative' margin.

Surgery is usually done 'piecemeal' - tumor tisue is scraped off little by little so the tissues can be checked by the lab to see if cancer cells are present. When the slides of the tissue stop showing the presence of cancer for, say, several millimeters, the surgeon can feel confident that she/he has 'got' all the tumor.

My first surgery, a lumpectomy in 2003, had a 'clear margin' according to my surgeon. Yet 4 years later, we found the recurrence originated from the 'left-over' tumor. My 2nd surgery, a mastectomy in 2007, had a margin of 0.5 mm. A college friend of mine who's a cardiologist warned me about it being too 'narrow'. But my oncologist explained to me that further excision would have damaged my pectoral muscle and paralyzed my right shoulder/arm.

Vessel vascular invasion – the presence of cancer cells in the vessels within the cancer itself.

Once the cancer cells moves to the blood vessels, it gains the access to other parts of the body through the [blood] circulation system. In other words, there's a possibility that the cancer has 'spread'.

'No vascular invasion' means that there's no cancer cells detected in the vessels within the cancer [tumor] itself.

A theory called 'angiogenesis' was introduced many years ago and that's what the use of Avastin was based on. When cancer grows to a certain size, it starts to 'induce' the growth of new blood vessels so it can get 'supplies' to grow. Avastin is used to stop angiogenesis and has proven to be effective in several different types of cancer. However, clinical trials did not show benefit for breast cancer patients.

Re: Help with terminology
 

Bump up the above posting on 'margins'.