Mouth Cancer Dictionary

abrasion: A shallow injury, usually caused by friction or scraping.

adenocarcinoma: A type of cancer that involves the lining of glands, often the lungs, breasts, colon, prostate, stomach, pancreas and/or cervix. Adenocarcinomas can lead to mouth cancer.

biopsy: A sample piece of tissue taken from an afflicted area of the body in order to help diagnose disease.

brachytherapy: A cancer treatment technique that uses a radioactive source placed in or on the tumor. Using this therapy allows a high dose of radiation to be administered directly to the tumor, minimizing the impact on nearby tissue.

CAT scan: An x-ray that takes several images and combines them to give a cross-section view of an area of the body.

chemotherapy: A cancer treatment technique that uses drugs designed to prevent tumor cells from growing or dividing.

dry mouth (xerostomia): A symptom in which too little saliva is produced in the mouth.

erythroplakia: A soft red area or lesion in the mouth that is usually a precursor to cancer.