(courtesy of World Small Animal Oncology Working Group)

Cancer can be a complex disease with a language all of its own. To help with understanding and communication, the WSAVA’s Oncology Working Group has created a glossary of commonly used terms, and how they specifically relate to veterinary oncology. The Working Group hopes this empowers owners to talk more confidently and effectively with their veterinarian about the choices facing them in terms of diagnosis and management of their pet’s disease.

Below are a few* of the terms:

Adjuvant Chemotherapy: This is when chemotherapy is given after a surgical
procedure that appears to have removed all cancer tissue, with the intention of preventing metastasis.

Cancer grade: The grade refers to how many cells are dividing, how well-organised (good) or chaotic (bad) the tumor sample looks, and if there are cancer cells invading blood vessels or local body tissues. Grades in veterinary medicine are often assigned 1, 2 or 3, with 1 being the least aggressive and 3 being the most aggressive.

Curative treatment: This is a single treatment (e.g. surgery*) or combination of treatments (e.g. surgery and chemotherapy*) that is designed from the outset to put the patient into remission.

Fine needle aspirate (FNA):  A specific type of biopsy where a needle (similar to that used for vaccines) is inserted into a tumor, and gentle suction is applied by a syringe, to suck out cells or fluid. These cells are put onto microscope slides and examined by a cytologist, pathologist, or the oncologist. The primary goal of a FNA cytology is to determine whether a mass is inflammatory (e.g. an abscess or infected tissue) or a neoplasm.

* More terms and their definitions will be included in subsequent posts.