Here is a glossary of commonly used clinical trial terms that researchers and other medical professionals use to refer to specific parts of the clinical trial process:
Antineoplaston – A substance isolated from normal human blood and urine that is being tested as a type of treatment for some tumors and AIDS.
Biological Therapy – Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infections and other diseases. Also used to reduce side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments.
Brain Metastasis – Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the brain.
Chemotherapy – Treatment program with anticancer drugs.
CNS – Central Nervous System. The brain and spinal cord.
CNS Metastasis – Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the central nervous system.
Combination Chemotherapy – Treatment using more than one anticancer drug.
Evaluable Disease – Disease that cannot be measured directly by the size of the tumor but can be evaluated by other methods specific to a particular clinical trial.
Gene – A hereditary unit consisting of a sequence of DNA that occupies a specific location on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an organism. Genes undergo mutation when their DNA sequence changes.
Hormone Therapy – Treatment that adds, blocks or removes hormones. For certain conditions (such as diabetes or menopause), hormones are given to adjust low hormone levels. To slow or stop the growth of certain cancers (such as prostate and breast cancer), synthetic hormones or other drugs may be given to block the body’s natural hormones.
Immunotoxin – An antibody linked to a toxic substance. Some immunotoxins can bind to cancer cells and kill them.
Interferon – A biological response modifier (a substance that can improve the body’s natural response to infections and other diseases). Interferons interfere with the division of cancer cells and can slow tumor growth.
Malignant Mesothelioma – A rare type of cancer in which malignant cells are found in the sac lining the chest or abdomen or the protective mesothelial sacs protecting most internal organs. Exposure to airborne asbestos particles increases one’s risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.
Measurable Disease – A tumor that can be accurately measured in size. This information can be used to judge response to treatment.
Metastatic Cancer – Cancer that has spread from the place where it started to other parts of the body.
Monoclonal Antibody – A laboratory-produced substance that can locate and bind to cancer cells wherever they are in the body. Many monoclonal antibodies are used in cancer detection or therapy; each one recognizes a different protein on certain cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies can be used alone, or they can be used to deliver drugs, toxins, or radioactive material directly to a tumor.
Pleura – A thin layer of tissue covering the lungs and lining the interior wall of the chest cavity. It protects and cushions the lungs.
Peritoneum – The tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen.
Photodynamic Therapy – Treatment with drugs that become active when exposed to light. These drugs kill cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy – The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy, implant radiation, or brachytherapy).
Symptom Management – Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of symptom management is to prevent or treat the symptoms of the disease as early as possible, side effects caused by treatment of the disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to the disease or its treatment.
Unresectable – Unable to be removed with surgery.