Refractory disease means a cancer does not respond to treatment as expected. It is a clinical label used in oncology to describe lack of meaningful benefit from a therapy. It commonly appears in cancer notes, tumor board discussions, and clinical trial eligibility criteria. The exact meaning depends on the cancer type, the treatment given, and how response is measured.
Relapse means a cancer returns after a period when it could not be detected or was under control. Relapse is a clinical term used in oncology, hematology, and survivorship care. It helps clinicians describe “cancer coming back” in a precise and standardized way. Relapse can be found by symptoms, imaging, lab tests, or biopsy, depending on the cancer type.
Recurrence means cancer has returned after a period when it could not be detected. It is commonly used in oncology after initial treatment and during follow-up care. Recurrence can happen in the original area, nearby lymph nodes, or distant organs. The term helps clinicians describe what is happening and plan the next steps.
Tumor progression means a cancer is growing, spreading, or becoming more active over time. It is a clinical term used in oncology notes, imaging reports, and treatment discussions. It can be identified by scans, lab trends, symptoms, or biopsy findings. It helps clinicians describe whether a cancer is responding, stable, or worsening.
Tumor burden means the total amount of cancer in the body at a given time. It can describe tumor size, how many sites are involved, or cancer cells measured in blood or bone marrow. It is commonly used in oncology clinics, imaging reports, pathology, and clinical trials. Clinicians use it to summarize disease extent and track change over time.
A Pathology report is a medical document that describes what a pathologist finds in tissue, cells, or blood. It is commonly created after a biopsy, surgery, or bone marrow test. It helps confirm a diagnosis and describes important features of a tumor or abnormal tissue. It is used across cancer care, including solid tumors and blood cancers.
Histology is the study of cells and tissues under a microscope. In cancer care, Histology is used to identify what a tumor is made of and how it behaves. It is commonly performed by pathologists on tissue taken from a biopsy or surgery. Histology helps clinicians confirm a diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment.
Grade is a way of describing how abnormal cancer cells look under a microscope. It is most commonly assigned by a pathologist after a biopsy or surgery. In oncology, Grade helps estimate how quickly a tumor may grow or spread. It is one part of risk assessment and is used alongside stage and other test results.
Stage is a clinical label that describes how far a cancer has spread in the body. It summarizes key findings from exams, imaging, and sometimes surgery or biopsy results. Stage is commonly used at diagnosis, after surgery, and when planning cancer treatment. It helps clinicians communicate clearly and choose appropriate next steps.
Metastatic disease means cancer has spread from where it started to a distant part of the body. It is commonly used in oncology to describe cancer stage, expected behavior, and treatment planning. The original cancer is called the *primary tumor*, and the new sites are called *metastases*. Even after spreading, the cancer is still named for where it began (for example, breast cancer with bone metastases).