A glossary of terms covering all aspects of breast and ovarian cancer.
A
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Absolute risk |
The chance of developing a specific disease over a specified time period |
| Adjuvant |
Treatment given in addition to primary (initial) treatment. For breast cancer, the primary treatment is surgery and adjuvant treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapies and targeted therapies |
| Advanced breast cancer |
Breast cancer that has spread outside the breast area |
| Advanced ovarian cancer |
Ovarian cancer that has spread to other areas of the pelvis and to areas or organs outside the pelvis |
| Alkylating agent |
A class of chemotherapy, eg cyclophosphamide |
| Alternative therapies |
Treatments used instead of conventional treatments |
| Amenorrhea |
Absence of period |
| Anaemia |
A condition in which there are fewer red blood cells in the blood than normal |
| Anaemia |
A condition in which there are fewer red blood cells in the blood than normal |
| Anthracycline |
A class of chemotherapy, eg epirubicin (Pharmorubicin®), doxorubicin (Adriamycin®) |
| Anti-emetic |
A drug used to control nausea and vomiting |
| Anti-emetics |
Drugs used to control nausea and vomiting |
| Anti-oestrogen |
A type of hormonal therapy, eg Tamoxifen |
| Anticipatory vomiting |
Vomiting before the administration of chemotherapy |
| Antimetabolite |
A class of chemotherapy, eg 5-fluorouracil (5FU), methotrexate |
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Patron: Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia