CancerExplained.org · Free health handout
Treatment Words, Explained
Plain-language meanings for common treatment terms
People you may meet
- Oncologist — a doctor who treats cancer. Medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists focus on different kinds of treatment.
- Pathologist — a doctor who examines tissue and blood samples under a microscope.
- Oncology nurse — a nurse specially trained in cancer care; often your main day-to-day contact.
- Social worker / navigator — helps with practical matters like transport, costs, and support services.
Words about the plan
- Protocol or regimen — the written plan for a treatment: which medicines, what doses, on which days.
- Cycle — a round of treatment followed by a rest period; treatment is often given in repeating cycles.
- First-line treatment — the treatment usually tried first for a condition.
- Adjuvant / neoadjuvant — extra treatment given after (adjuvant) or before (neoadjuvant) the main treatment.
Words about results
- Response — how a cancer changes after treatment; a "complete response" means no cancer can be detected on tests.
- Remission — signs and symptoms are reduced (partial) or gone (complete); not always the same as cured.
- Stable disease — the cancer is not growing or shrinking on scans.
- Recurrence — cancer that has come back after a period when it could not be detected.
If a word is unclear at an appointment, ask — "Can you say that in plain language?" is always a fair question.
This handout is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about what is right for you.
Sources: NCI: Dictionary of cancer terms. Updated 2026-07-05.
Learn more in plain language: https://cancerexplained.org/treatments/cancer-treatment-overview/ — free to copy and share for non-commercial education.