Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan
Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan outlines the way forward for cancer services, which are required to support all those in Scotland who find themselves living with and beyond cancer.
GLOSSARY
Acute Services/Acute care |
For a disease or illness with rapid onset, severe symptoms and brief duration |
barium enema |
Enema in which a contrast medium (usually barium sulphate) is injected into the rectum and X-rays are taken to search for abnormalities |
Benign |
Not malignant and unable to spread in distant way beyond main tumour |
Biomarker |
A specific physical trait used to measure or indicate the effects or progress of a disease or condition |
Bowel cancer |
Colorectal cancer |
Brachytherapy |
Radiotherapy delivered using an internal radiation source close to the surface of the tumour. Used most commonly for gynaecological tumours |
BSI |
The British Standards Institution |
Cancer |
Abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and in some cases, metastasise. Cancer is not a single disease but a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases. Cancer can occur in any tissue of the body and has many different forms. Most cancers are named after the type of cell or organ in which they originated |
chemotherapy |
The use of drugs which interfere with the process of cell division to destroy malignant cells |
CNS |
Clinical Nurse Specialist |
Colonoscopy |
An endoscopic (fibreoptic) examination of the colon |
( CHCPS - CHPs/ CHCPs) Community Health Partnerships/ Community Health Care Partnerships |
CHPs have been established by NHS Boards as key building blocks in the modernisation of the NHS and joint services, with a vital role in partnership, integration and service redesign. They provide a focus for the integration between primary care, specialist services and social care and ensure that local population health improvement is at the heart of service planning and delivery |
COSLA |
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities |
CT (Computed Tomography) |
An x-ray technique using a scanner which takes a series of images across the body which can be viewed in 2D (dimensional) or 3D form |
Cytogenetic |
The study of chromosomes and cell division |
cytology |
The study of cells |
Cytology Screener |
A person who assesses the sample slides in the cervical screening programme |
cytotoxic |
Chemicals that are directly toxic to cells, preventing their reproduction or growth |
DNA |
Deoxyribonucleic Acid. The main repository of genetic information in all cells |
e-health |
The use of electronic communication and information technology in the healthcare sector |
endoscopy |
Visual inspection of a body cavity using an endoscope, which is a flexible viewing instrument |
Enema |
The injection of liquid into the rectum through the anus for cleansing, for stimulating evacuation of the bowels, or for other therapeutic or diagnostic purposes |
Epidemiology |
The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of health-related problems or disease in populations |
Fields of View |
The area that is visible (as through an optical instrument) |
flexible sigmoidoscopy |
Inspection of the rectum and lower colon using a thin lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope |
Health Technology Assessments |
The HTA programme, part of the National Institute for Health Research, works to provide all those who make decisions in the NHS with high-quality information on the costs, effectiveness and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests |
Horizon Scan |
The systematic examination of potential threats, opportunities and likely future developments, strengths and weaknesses to planning |
HPV (Human papilloma virus) |
The HPV is a risk factor for cervical cancer, transmitted through intimate contact, including sexual intercourse. Vaccines are now available to prevent infection to help prevent this type of cancer |
HSE |
Health and Safety Executive |
incidence |
The number of new cases/episodes in a defined population within a given time period |
invasive |
Cancer that can/has spread from its histological original site |
ISD (Information & Statistics Division) |
Scotland's national organisation for health information, statistics and IT services |
ISO |
International Organisation for Standardisation |
Isotope |
Radioactive material |
laparoscopic surgery |
Minimally invasive surgery in which a camera and surgical instruments are inserted through a small incision |
Leukaemia |
The abnormal growth and development of the white blood cells |
Life Circumstances |
Determining or modifying factor(s) that affect a person's life |
linear accelerator |
A treatment machine generating very high energy x-rays or electrons. Also called a LINAC |
LUCADA |
Lung cancer audit data analysis |
Lymphoma |
Cancer of the lymphatic system/lymph nodes |
malignant |
Cancerous. Malignant tumours can invade and destroy surrounding tissue and have the capacity to spread |
mammogram |
A diagnostic image of the breast |
MCN (Managed Clinical Network) |
The term Managed Clinical Network is used to refer to a way of working which relies on clinicians being part of a 'virtual' organisation and which actively involves patients in service design and focus |
melanoma |
A tumour arising from the melanocytic system of the skin and other organs |
metastasise |
Spread throughout the body |
molecular pathology |
An emerging discipline within pathology which is focused on the use of nucleic acid-based techniques |
mortality |
The number of people who have died from cancer and is usually expressed as the number of deaths each year in a specified area |
mortality rates |
The number of people who die from cancer per 100,000 population |
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) |
An imaging technique based on magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce images of body structures. It provides superior soft tissue definition of many tumours compared with CT |
NAG |
The Scottish National Advisory Group on Breast and Cervical screening |
National Services Division |
Part of National Services Scotland, which plans and funds services on a national basis |
Neoplasm |
Abnormal new growth or proliferation of cells/tissue that shows a lack of cellular organisation and function. May be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant |
NHS |
National Health Service |
Oncology |
The branch of medicine that deals with cancer |
palliative care |
Providing relief and support, but not cure |
Pathologist |
A doctor who specialises in identifying diseases by microscopically studying cells and tissues |
Patient Pathway |
The route that a patient will take from first noticing symptoms and contact with an NHS member of staff (usually their GP), through referral, to the completion of their treatment |
PFI |
Private Finance Initiative |
Positron Emission Tomography ( PET) |
PET is a non-invasive diagnostic imaging technique that combines computed tomography and small amounts of a radioactive substance. It provides functional information about the tumour and its site and size |
predispose |
To make more likely or render susceptible |
Primary care |
Health care provided by a medical professional (as a general practitioner, paediatrician, or nurse) with whom a patient has initial contact and by whom the patient may be referred to a specialist |
QIS (Quality Improvement Scotland) |
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is a Special Health Board, acting as the lead organisation in improving the quality of healthcare delivered by NHSScotland |
radiotherapy |
The use of radiation to destroy malignant tumours while minimising the damage to normal tissue |
Regimen |
A treatment plan that specifies dosage, schedule, duration of treatment |
RNA |
Ribonucleic acid. The nucleic acid that is used in key metabolic processes for all steps of protein synthesis in all living cells |
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network ( SIGN) |
Improving the quality of care for patients in Scotland by reducing variation and outcome through the development of national guidelines containing recommendations for effective practice, based on current evidence |
screening |
Examination of people with no symptoms to detect unsuspected disease |
Secondary care |
Medical care provided by a specialist or facility upon referral by a primary care physician |
second-line chemotherapy |
Chemotherapy given for a tumour which has already failed to respond to a first chemotherapy regimen |
Shared care |
The establishment of partnerships between professionals and patients where they share a common goal |
stereotacticintracranial radiotherapy |
Where radiotherapy is directed at brain tumours based on 3-dimensional imaging |
survival rate |
The percentage of people still alive 1, 3, 5 and 10 years after they have been diagnosed with cancer. The 5-year survival rate is often quoted |
tertiary care |
Highly specialised medical care usually over an extended period of time that involves advanced and complex procedures and treatments performed by medical specialists in state-of-the-art facilities |
Triage |
The process of sorting people based on their need for immediate medical treatment |
tumour |
An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division that is uncontrolled and progressive, also called a neoplasm. Tumours can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant |
Two views |
In two view mammography two x-rays are taken to examine each of the human breasts |
UKNSC |
UK National Screening Committee |
ultrasound |
An imaging technique using high-frequency sound waves. Useful in the diagnosis of tumours |
WHO (World Health Organization) |
WHO is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends |
x-ray |
A type of radiation used for imaging purposes, which uses energy beams of short wavelengths at high energy used for treatment that can penetrate most substances except heavy metals |
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback