Adjuvant (treatment) |
Additional treatment given after the primary treatment to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back; usually refers to radiotherapy and/or systemic therapy after surgery |
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) |
A type of biologic therapy used to treat early stage bladder cancer. The treatment uses a weakened form of a bacterium that does not cause disease. It is given through a catheter that is placed into the bladder where the BCG solution is held for about two hours. BCG may help the immune system kill cancer cells |
Biopsy |
A medical procedure in which a small sample of cells or tissue is taken for examination under a microscope |
Carboplatin |
A type of chemotherapy that is administered through a drip into a vein in your arm or chest |
Chemotherapy |
A type of cancer treatment using medicine that kills the cancer cells by damaging them so that they cannot reproduce and spread |
Cisplatin |
A type of chemotherapy that is administered through a drip into a vein in your arm or chest |
Coronavirus |
A group of viruses that cause disease in mammals and birds but may also affect humans |
COVID-19 |
A disease caused by a type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 |
Curative (treatment) |
A treatment that is intended to cure the cancer |
Cystectomy |
Surgery to remove all or part of the bladder |
Cystoscopy |
Examination of the bladder using a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens, which is inserted into the urethra |
First-line (treatment) |
The initial treatment given to a patient |
Grade |
Cancer grade is based on how different tumour cells look from normal cells under a microscope, and on how quickly they grow. The grade will be a value between one and three and reflects the aggressiveness of tumour cells; the higher the grade, the more aggressive the tumour |
Haematuria |
Blood in the urine |
Immunotherapy |
A type of cancer treatment that stimulates the body’s immune system to fight the cancer |
Lymph |
The fluid that circulates throughout the lymphatic system; it contains infection-fighting white blood cells |
Lymph nodes |
Small structures throughout the lymphatic system that work as filters for harmful substances, such as cancer cells or bacteria |
Lymphatic system |
A network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body |
Metastases |
Cancerous tumours that have originated from a primary tumour/growth in another part of the body |
Metastatic |
A cancer that has spread from its site of origin to different parts of the body |
Muscle invasive (bladder cancer) |
Cancer that has spread into the smooth muscle in the wall of the bladder |
Neoadjuvant therapy |
Treatment given as a first step to shrink a tumour before the main treatment, which is usually surgery |
Palliative |
Treatment given to relieve symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer |
Pandemic |
A disease that is prevalent around the world |
Platinum-based (chemotherapy) |
A combination of chemotherapy drugs that includes a platinum (i.e. cisplatin or carboplatin) |
Radiotherapy |
Treatment involving the use of high-energy radiation, which is commonly used to treat cancer |
Recurrent (disease) |
A disease that has returned |
Refractory (disease) |
A disease that does not respond to treatment |
Relapse |
Return of a cancer or deterioration in a person’s state of health |
Resection |
Surgery to remove tissue |
Stage or staging (of cancer) |
The process of determining the extent to which a cancer has grown and spread |
Systemic (therapy) |
Drugs that spread throughout the body to treat cancer cells wherever they may be. They include chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy |
Targeted therapy |
A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to precisely identify and attack cancer cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells |
Tumour |
A lump or growth of abnormal cells. Tumours may be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). In this guide, the term ‘tumour’ refers to a cancerous growth, unless otherwise stated |
Urethra |
The tube through which urine leaves the body |
White blood cell |
A type of blood cell that is part of the body’s immune system. White blood cells help the body fight infections |
Adaptations to Urothelial Bladder Cancer Glossary
