
Glossary of Terms
Many technical terms may be used when discussing cancers, investigations and treatment options. Listed below are definitions or explanations of common terms. If you don’t understand a term, please ask Dr Andrea Garrett.
Appendicectomy | Removal of the appendix |
Benign Disease | Non cancerous |
Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) | Removal of both tubes and ovaries. Unilateral SO is the removal of one tube and ovary only |
Bowel Resection | Removal of a segment of bowel. The remaining bowel can be repaired or a stoma is created |
Cone biopsy | Removal of a cone shaped wedge of the cervix for a cancer or gland abnormality |
Colposcopy | Procedure where the cervix is viewed under a microscope after painting with vinegar or iodine solutions to look for abnormal cells |
Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan | Imaging technique used to visualise structures in the body |
Cystoscopy | Inserting a camera into the bladder |
Gynaecologic Oncologist | Doctor specialising in the use of surgery to treat gynaecologic cancers |
Hysterectomy | Removal of the uterus and cervix. Subtotal hysterectomy implies that the cervix is not removed |
Hysteroscopy | Inserting camera into the uterus |
Laparoscopy | Keyhole or minimally invasive surgery |
Laparotomy | Open surgery or a cut to the abdomen |
LLETZ | Loop excision of the transformation zone to removal abnormal cells on the cervix |
Lymph Node Dissection (Lymphadenectomy) | Removal of lymph nodes |
Malignant Disease | Cancer |
Medical Oncology | Doctor specialising in the use of chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | Imaging technique used to visualise structures in the body (more detail than a CT scan) |
Multi-Disciplinary Meeting | A meeting of specialist doctors involved in gynaecologic cancers including gynaecologic oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and pathologists |
Omentectomy | Removal of the fatty apron that hangs off the transverse colon |
Pathology | Study of microscopic anatomy of tissue |
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan | Imaging technique used to visualise sites of biological activity (hot spots) in the body |
Radiation Oncology | Doctor specialising in the use of radiation to treat cancer |
Radical Hysterectomy | Removal of uterus and cervix and parametrial tissue adjacent to the cervix |
Radiology | Study of the various imaging techniques. Interventional radiology implies a procedure is performed using imaging |
Recurrent Disease | Cancer that has returned |
Remission | Eradication of cancer |
Smear Test | Sample of cells taken from either the cervix (PAP Smear) or vaginal vault (vault smear) |
Stoma | Opening of the bowel into a bag on the skin for faeces to leave the body. Colostomy involves the large bowel and ileostomy involves the small bowel. It may be temporary or permanent |
Tumour | Abnormal growth of cells that can be benign or malignant |
Ultrasound Scan | Imaging technique using sound waves to generate an image of body structures |
Vaginal vault | Top of the vagina where the cervix used to be |