Performance status is a clinical way to describe how well a person can do everyday activities while living with cancer. It summarizes function—such as walking, working, and self-care—into a simple score. It is commonly used in oncology clinics, hospitals, and clinical trials. It helps teams communicate clearly about a patient’s overall fitness for different treatment options.

EMT stands for epithelial–mesenchymal transition. It is a biological process where cells change from a tightly connected “epithelial” state to a more mobile “mesenchymal” state. In cancer, EMT is commonly discussed to help explain invasion, spread (metastasis), and treatment resistance. It is used most often in oncology research and in interpreting tumor biology rather than as a standalone clinical procedure.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is a biological process in which certain cells shift from an “epithelial” state to a more “mesenchymal” state. In plain terms, cells lose tight connections with neighboring cells and gain features that help them move and adapt. It is commonly discussed in cancer care because it can be involved in invasion, spread (metastasis), and treatment resistance. It is also used in research and pathology to describe tumor behavior and interpret biomarkers.

A Cancer stem cell is a cancer cell thought to have “stem-like” abilities to self-renew and to produce different types of tumor cells. In plain terms, it is a small sub-group of cells inside some tumors that may help the cancer grow back or spread. The term is commonly used in cancer biology research and in discussions about treatment resistance and recurrence. It may also appear in clinical trial descriptions and some specialized pathology or molecular testing reports.

Clonal evolution is how groups of cancer cells change over time as they grow and divide. It describes how some cell “clones” gain advantages that help them survive or resist treatment. The term is commonly used in oncology, hematology-oncology, and cancer genomics. It helps explain why cancers can behave differently within the same tumor or between patients.

Neoantigen means a “new” antigen that forms when cancer cells acquire genetic changes. It is a small protein fragment (peptide) that can be displayed on a cancer cell and recognized by the immune system as foreign. Neoantigen concepts are commonly used in cancer immunotherapy, especially personalized vaccines and T-cell–based treatments. It is also used in research and clinical trials to help understand why some tumors respond to immune therapies.

An Immune checkpoint is a built-in “brake” system that helps keep the immune response from becoming too strong. It uses specific molecules on immune cells and other cells to slow down immune activity when needed. In cancer care, Immune checkpoint pathways are commonly discussed because many tumors use them to evade immune attack. They are also the biological targets of a major class of immunotherapy medicines called checkpoint inhibitors.

Angiogenesis means the formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels. It is a normal process in growth, healing, and reproduction. In cancer, Angiogenesis can help tumors get oxygen and nutrients so they can grow. In oncology care, Angiogenesis is commonly discussed as a treatment target and as a marker of tumor behavior.

Tumor microenvironment means the “neighborhood” around a cancer, not just the cancer cells themselves. It includes immune cells, blood vessels, connective tissue, signaling molecules, and surrounding normal cells. Clinicians and researchers use Tumor microenvironment to explain why cancers grow, spread, or resist treatment. It is commonly discussed in pathology reports, immunotherapy planning, and cancer research.

CHIP is short for **clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential**. It means a **group of blood-forming cells** has acquired a **cancer-associated gene change**, but there is **no blood cancer diagnosis** at the time. CHIP is most often found through **genetic testing (NGS)** of blood or bone marrow done for cancer care or blood count evaluation. It is a **finding and risk marker**, not a cancer diagnosis by itself.