Glossary

Our glossary shows some of the abbreviations that you may see in our chats or in message board posts.

It is not a comprehensive list of terms in this subject area, and we are not attempting to provide full definitions. You can find more information on these and other terms in glossaries provided by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), Breastcancer.org, and the National Institutes of Health (Medline).

BART Testing
BART stands for BracAnalysis Rearrangement Test. This is an expanded panel looking for mutations in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 that are not found in Myriad's "comprehensive" Bracanalysis test. BART looks for specific mutations known as large rearrangements. Myriad charges an additional $700 for BART testing.

BC
Breast cancer.

Bilateral
On both sides of the body. For instance, 'bilateral mastectomies' means the removal of both breasts

BM, BPM
Bilateral mastectomy or Bilateral prophylactic (or preventive) mastectomy

BRCA, BRCA1, BRCA2
'Breast cancer genes' in which some mutations may be related to elevated risk of breast, ovarian, and/or other kinds of cancer. Sometimes spelled BRAC or BRACA; not always capitalized

BSE
Breast self-examination

BSO
Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of tubes and ovaries)

CA-125
A blood test used to detect signs of ovarian cancer or monitor response to treatment

CBE
Clinical breast examination; a breast exam performed by a health-care professional

CDC
Centers for Disease Control

Chemoprevention
The use of medications to prevent cancer

DCIS
Ductal carcinoma in situ, a noninvasive type of breast cancer

DIEP
Diep Inferior Epigastric Perforator: a type of breast flap reconstruction surgery

DD
Dear daughter

DH
Dear husband

DP
Dear partner

DPM
Double prophylactic mastectomy (or mastectomies); same as BPM

DS
Dear son

ERT
Estrogen replacement therapy

Fimbria
The part of the fallopian tube closest to the ovary

Flap
A type of breast reconstruction using the body's own tissue

FNA
Fine needle aspirate (a technique for sampling breast tissue by placing a needle into the breast and removing cells)

Founder Mutation
A gene mutation that is found with high frequency in certain ethnicities or descendants of people from specific geographic areas

Gyn/onc
Gynecologic-oncologist, an expert in treating gynecologic malignancies

HRT
Hormone replacement therapy

Hyst
Hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus

IVF
In Vitro Fertilization: a fertility treatment where the women’s eggs are removed and fertilized in a test tube.

LAVH
Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy

LCIS
Lobular cancer in situ, a noninvasive change in breast tissue that can be a marker for breast cancer risk

Mammo
Mammogram

Mast
Mastectomy

MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging; a technique for looking for abnormalities such as cancer using magnetic fields. Breast MRI is typically recommended as a screening tool for breast cancer in high-risk women and is often used to follow up on a breast abnormality seen on mammogram.

NIH
National Institutes of Health

Ooph
Oophorectomy, or removal of the ovaries

OVCA
Ovarian cancer

PGD
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is a medical procedure that allows people who carry a disease-causing hereditary mutation to have children who are free from the specific mutation that causes the disease.

Proph
'Prophylactic,' or preventive

PM
Prophylactic mastectomy (or mastectomies)

PO
Prophylactic oophorectomy

PS
Sometimes used as shorthand for 'plastic surgeon'

PSO
Prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of tubes and ovaries)

Recon
Reconstruction, or reconstructive surgery

Revision
A type of plastic surgery which may be done as a follow-up to an earlier operation

SHG
Saline sonohystogram.

TAH
Total abdominal hysterectomy

Salpingectomy
Removal of the fallopian tubes

Sentinel Node Biopsy
A procedure to determine whether breast cancer cells have spread beyond the breast tissue. The surgeon injects a blue dye or radioactive tracer (or both) into the breast, to follow the lymph system from the tumor to the sentinel node

Solid Tumors
Cancers that arise from solid organs, for example, breast, lung, colon, prostate, ovary, thyroid, pancreas

Sono
Sonogram (ultrasound)

Staging
Procedures used to determine if and how much the cancer has spread. Cancers are staged from stage 0 (preinvasive cancer) to stage 4 (spread outside the initial tissue)

Systemic Therapy
Therapy that delivers treatments throughout the body. May be intravenous or pill form Examples include chemotherapy, biologic therapy and hormone therapy

TAH
Total abdominal hysterectomy

Targeted Therapy
Medications that block the growth of cancer cells by interfering with specific molecules needed for tumor growth rather than by simply interfering with rapidly dividing cells as with traditional chemotherapy

TRAM
Transverse rectus abdominous myocutaneous flap: a type of reconstructive surgery where fat and muscle from the abdomen are used to recreate breast tissue

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
A type of breast cancer that lacks receptors for estrogen and progesterone and does not overexpress the Her2neu protein.

TVH
Total vaginal hysterectomy

TVU
Transvaginal ultrasound

U/S
Ultrasound; or ultrasonographic examination

USPSTF
United States Preventive Services Task Force. A volunteer panel of experts who develop evidence-based guidelines for different areas of preventive medicine.

 

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