Oncology Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Oncology distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

PiqCue — piqcue.com/oncology/cheatsheet

Quick Reference

Carcinogenesis

The multistep biological process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells through the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations. It typically involves initiation (DNA damage), promotion (clonal expansion), and progression (invasion and metastasis).

Metastasis

The process by which cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to distant organs through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths and involves a complex cascade of invasion, intravasation, survival in circulation, extravasation, and colonization.

Tumor Staging (TNM System)

A standardized classification system that describes the extent of cancer based on Tumor size and local extent (T), regional lymph Node involvement (N), and distant Metastasis (M). Staging guides treatment decisions and provides prognostic information.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

A class of immunotherapy drugs that block inhibitory proteins (checkpoints) on immune cells or cancer cells, thereby unleashing the immune system to recognize and attack tumors. Key targets include PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4.

Precision Oncology

An approach to cancer treatment that uses genomic profiling and molecular analysis of a patient's tumor to identify specific driver mutations and select targeted therapies most likely to be effective for that individual's cancer.

Tumor Microenvironment

The complex ecosystem surrounding a tumor, consisting of blood vessels, immune cells, fibroblasts, signaling molecules, and extracellular matrix. The microenvironment plays a critical role in tumor growth, immune evasion, and response to therapy.

Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressor Genes

Oncogenes are mutated forms of normal genes (proto-oncogenes) that promote uncontrolled cell growth when activated. Tumor suppressor genes normally restrain cell division, and their loss of function through mutation contributes to cancer development.

Chemotherapy

The use of cytotoxic drugs to kill rapidly dividing cancer cells or inhibit their growth. Chemotherapy agents work through various mechanisms including DNA damage, inhibition of DNA synthesis, and disruption of mitotic spindle formation. They often affect normal rapidly dividing cells as well, leading to side effects.

CAR-T Cell Therapy

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy is a form of adoptive cell therapy in which a patient's own T cells are genetically engineered to express a synthetic receptor that targets a specific protein on cancer cells. The modified cells are expanded in the laboratory and infused back into the patient.

Cancer Screening and Early Detection

The use of tests, imaging, or procedures to detect cancer in asymptomatic individuals before symptoms develop, when treatment is most effective. Effective screening programs require that the cancer has a detectable preclinical phase and that early treatment improves outcomes.

Key Terms at a Glance

Adjuvant Therapy:Treatment given after primary surgery to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Angiogenesis:The formation of new blood vessels, often co-opted by tumors to sustain their growth.

Apoptosis:Programmed cell death, a normal biological process that cancer cells often learn to evade.

Benign Tumor:An abnormal growth that is not cancerous, does not invade surrounding tissues, and does not metastasize.

Biopsy:The removal of a sample of tissue for microscopic examination to determine whether cancer is present.

Carcinoma:A type of cancer that originates in epithelial cells, accounting for 80-90% of all cancers.

Chemotherapy:The use of cytotoxic drugs to kill or inhibit the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells.

Clinical Trial:A research study that tests new treatments, drugs, or procedures in human patients to evaluate safety and efficacy.

CTLA-4:Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Associated protein 4, an immune checkpoint receptor targeted by ipilimumab.

Differentiation:The degree to which cancer cells resemble normal cells of the tissue of origin; well-differentiated tumors are less aggressive.

Driver Mutation:A genetic mutation that directly contributes to cancer development by conferring a growth advantage to cells.

Dysplasia:Abnormal cell growth or development that may be a precursor to cancer but is not yet malignant.

Immunotherapy:Treatment that harnesses or enhances the body's own immune system to fight cancer.

Leukemia:A group of cancers originating in blood-forming tissues, resulting in abnormal white blood cell production.

Lymphoma:A cancer of the lymphatic system, broadly classified as Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

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