Just a quick question about the info at the bottom of replies. Where on the site can find the abreviations used so I can add this info to my profile. I have figuered out That Tx is treatment and Dx is diagnosis. IMRT has be stumped.
I also want to thank all who participate is this site, as it is becoming a big help to me and my wife. It is also providing info and comfort to my daughters who live in Columbus, Ohio and Poquoson, VA. They think that good old pops will sometimes try to be the tough guy and not let on what is really happening.

Thanks again,

Pete60

Pete

IMRT is a form of radiation , I dont know the whole term for it . SCC = sqaumous cell carcinoma
BOT = base of tongue
Cisplastin is a form of chemo
Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation
HBO = hyperbaric oxygen treatment
HMMMMM I can't think of anymore of top of my head ..but keep askin !!! Someone will be able to answer

Gary, here's a list with some referenced links.

Pete\
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SCC - Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Dx - Diagnosis
Rx - Prescription
Tx - Therapy? Treatment?
BOT - Base of tongue
PEG - Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy aka feeding tube

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/tube_feeding.htm

HPV - Human papillomavirus
rad - radiation
ENT - Ear, nose, throat Doctor aka Otolaryngologist
Glossectomy - Removal of tongue
Metastasis - Spreading of the cancer
XRT - Conventional external beam radiation therapy aka EBT
IMRT - Intensity modulated radiation therapy

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/imrt_radiation.htm

PET - Positron emission tomography scan
CT/CAT - Co-axial tomography scan
EBT - External beam radiation therapy aka XRT
OCF - Oral Cancer Foundation
NCI -
CCC - Comprehensive cancer center or clinic; A tumor board at a cancer center will include doctors trained in different disciplines. Having your case presented and evaluated by this type of multidisciplinary team will give you the best options for treatment, considering all possibilities from their different areas of expertise.

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/resources/cancer_centers.htm

HBO - Hyper-baric oxygen Patient given oxygen under pressure prior to dental surgery.
Stage - Development of the cancer

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/stages_cancer.htm

TNM - System for describing the cancer

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/stages_cancer.htm

NCCN - National Comprehensive Cancer Network (an alliance of 20 leading comprehensive cancer centers).

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/treatment/pdf/head-and-neck.pdf

Margins - Refers to the margins of biopsied tissue; clean margins indicate that all the visible cancerous cells were removed.
Biopsy - Removal of sample or whole of suspect tissue

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/detailed_biopsy.htm

Xerostomia - Dry mouth resulting from reduced or absent saliva flow
RO - Radiological oncologist
MO - Medical oncologist
DO - Dental oncologist
*********************************************

Thanks for Asking this Pete60.

I was looking for this information long time ago.

Hope all is going well with you.

Take care,
Diane

Posting on this thread so this moves up to the top. Its not easy for newer people to know all the abbreviations we use around here. Not sure if a newer list is available.

NCI (which was left blank above) = National Cancer Institute, which is the cancer-research arm of the National Institutes of Health.

I'v been trying to find the list I started (and many contributed to) But have not had luck. Perhaps It got relocated. Does anyone know where it went?

I saved it:

Acronyms:
BaCC = Basil Cell Carcinoma
Biopsy = tissue sample removed for microscopic examination
BOT = Base of tongue
Brachytherapy = Radiation therapy with internal radioactive “seeds”
CAT = Computed Axial Tomography (scan)
CCC = Cancer Care Center
CT = Computed (computer) Tomography (scan)
Dives = treatments in a HBO unit
DX = Diagnosis
ENT = Ear Nose and Throat Doctor and surgeon
FNA = Fine Needle Aspiration – (Needle Biopsy)
HBO(T) = Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments
HIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HN = Head and neck
HNC = Head and Neck Cancer
HPV = Human Papilloma Virus
IMRT = Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Met(s) = Metastasis or cancer spread
MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging (scan)
NCCN = National Comprehensive Cancer Network
NCI = National Cancer Institiute
PCP = Primary Care Physician
PEG = Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy (G tube or tube) Feeding
PET = Positron Emission Tomography (scan)
PT = Physical Therapist
QOL = Quality Of Life
RND = Radical Neck Dissection (sometimes Resection) also Modified
RO = Radiation Oncologist
RT = Radiation Therapy also Radiotherapy (Radio)
RX = Prescription or treatment
SCC(a) = Squamous Cell Carcinoma also SqCCA and sq cell ca
TX = Treatment
Xerostomia = low saliva
XRT = X ray Radiation Therapy
_________________________

Thanks David I had been searching for this too.

Patty

I just sent this thread to Chester so he would make it a permanent part of the FAQ's and the New Posters must read forum.

Thank you, I have been wondering about some of those myself.

MEC Mucoepidermoid cancer

I'm not sure if this is the place to tell you who I am and what my problem is. Last Thursday I was told by an ENT specialist that I have cancer. I don't know exactly what it is called. It is on my gum and soft tissue under my tongue. I am going for surgery on July 17th and I am scared stiff. I do not know what to expect.
I don't know all of the abreveations yet as I am a newbie.Thank you for listening to me.



Arlene

Welcoem to OCF Arlene. You will soon get the hang of this forum. There are so many helpful, encouraging members who will help guide you thru this.

When you want to start a post its easy. Just go to the topic you and and then click NEW POST. Also under the tab of My Stuff, click on profile and write a few things for a signature. These 2 things will help us to help you.

Have you had a second opinion? How was your cancer determined? Biopsy? Did you have a CT or PET scan yet?

Dont worry about the abbreviations, you will unfortunately understand them all very very soon. There is so much info here you can read for hours and get quite an education. Just remember, everyone is different. They respond to treatment and medicines at different rates. Also recovery is at ones own pace. You can get a general idea what to expect but its up to you and your body how things go from there. Dont let someone else's story scare you. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Take soemone with yoru to appointments to write things down. Ask questions, surgeons operate thats their job. Will you be having radiation and chemo? Who will help you and be your caregiver? Start lining up friends relative and anyone who offers to help. Keep a list, even if they pick up your meds or do a load of laundry it will help.

Best of luck, I know you are scared and its ok, we will help

greatgam4 If you read the first page of this thread that you are on there are all the abbreviations there to get you started. Print it out so that you can refer to it as all this begins to play our for you. Once you start your own thread of ideas and questions people will find you and continue to follow you, helping as you need it. Start in the introduce yourself forum.

BOGUS POST copied from BRIAN'S POST above: #87854 - Sun Jan 11 2009 06:52 PM

Yep. Little Sir (or Ms) Echo was very busy last night copying posts by Brian, DavidCPA etc and reposting them without attribution. Each and every post is just a paste and copy from a prior one in the thread. Quite juvenile. Not even amusing as some are the original poster's concerns. The key is the profile: zzjo770 is a "seo" which stands for Search Engine Optimization in regular acronyms but more accurately here as Shallow Entertainment Oaf
Charm

I deleted him and all his posts earlier today.

David, I bet that felt good! The power you have! That is what is great about OCF -- very little "junk" mail on here, or as I called him a "vermin".

None of us with THE POWER are here 24/7 so it helps like you all do when you PM me or even quicker, e mail me but that aside the first thing I check when I come on is new posters and I examine their Profile to make sure there are no links, then I read any posts they have made and sometimes I even have to put them on a "Watch Posts" alert.

IMRT is intensity modulated radiation therapy. It's designed to limit the radiation delivered to healthy tissue, while giving the tumor the full dose. The radiation source is an x-ray beam that can come at the cancer from several different directions, and can have a different shape from each direction, using something called a collimator that is computer controlled to have the same shape as as the tumor. Think an (American) football-shaped tumor: end-on it looks circular, side-on oval. In IMRT the beam would be circular when coming at the tumor end-on, and oval when the beam direction is side on.

nice list, thank you David. what does the letters and numbers mean in a dx? ex: tn3 (just made this up).

debbiejeanne