Abbreviations for newbies - updated
Abbreviations below are for informational purposes only as taken from posts or submitted by your fellow sisters. Your medical team is the final authority on any and all information contained in your personal medical records.
Any others? Post here or send me a PM and I will update the list. Thanks for all who have contributed to date.
8/26/11 - BC.o has added these abbreviations which can be found here: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/131/topic/773727?page=1#idx_1
2/13/13 - find it under the first thread in "All Topics".
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AC - one of the five most common types of chemo given to women with BC. Iit's probably the MOST common drug combination given to women with node-negative (hasn't spread to your lymph nodes) cancer. AC includes two drugs: doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan).
AI - aromatase inhibitors
ADH - Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia-no apparant involvement of surgical margins.
AKA - also known as
ALH - Atypical Lobular Hyperlasia - cells in the lobules that look different from normal cells, but aren't cancer and more cells than there should be.
AND - axillary node dissection
AWS - Axillary Web Syndrome; associated with Cording as a result of surgery/rads. Requires management by specialists in PT/ LE and myofascial release.
B9 (Not Cancer)
BC- Breast Cancer
Bi-Lat (bilateral, Mastectomy of both breast)
BIRADS - Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score. This indicates the radiologist's opinion of the absence or likelihood of breast cancer.
BM(x) - Bilateral Mastectomy
BS - breast specialist/surgeon
BTW - by the way...
Bump - written to edit a thread up in the listings so someone can find it.
BWT - But what the.......!
CC - capsular contraction
CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) = a side effect of Adriamycin, Herceptin, Avastin and some other chemo drugs but it is not a common side effect. CHF occurs in <1% and 3-4% and 5-10% from Adriamycin, Avastin and Herceptin respectively. (Heart failure doesn't mean that your heart has stopped working, or has "failed." Heart failure means that the heart is not pumping blood through your body as well as it should.)
CMF (Cyclophosphamide Methotrexate Fluorouraci) - a commonly used regimen of breast cancer chemotherapy that combines three anti-cancer agents
CT scan - computerized tornography, used to image the structures of the budy, especially head, neck or trunk.
DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
DD ~ Dose dense , Dear Daughter
DH ~ Dear Husband
DIEP - deep inferior epigastric perforator: autologous (own tissue) transfer. a refined version of the TRAM flap
DIL - Daughter-in-law
DP ~ Dear partner
DS ~ Dear Son
Dx (Diagnosis)
DW~ Dear Wife
ER (Estrogen Receptive) estrogen receptor positive+ or negative-
FEC (flourouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide) - combo that many Canadians, Brits and Aussies receive with one of the taxanes to follow
FIL ~ Father in law
FNA - fine needle aspiration
FWIW - for what it's worth
GCM - Glucosamine Chondroitin w/MSM (for relief of joint pain)
HER2 + or -, whether your tumor overexpresses the HER2 protein or not
HT (Anti-hormone Therapy)
HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
Hx - history
IBC (Inflamatory Breast Cancer)
IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
IDK - I don't know (something we all said first time diagnosed)
ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
IMF, infra-mammary fold, the crease/fold under the breast
IM(H)O - in my (humble) opinion (with or without the ‘humble')
KWIM......."know what I mean".
LAVH - laparoscropic assisted vaginal hysterectomy - a surgical procedure using a laparoscope to guide the removal of the uterus and/or Fallopian tubes and ovaries through the vagina (birth canal
LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
LD flap - Latissimus Dorsi Flap
LE ~ Lymphedema
Lump (Lumpectomy)
Lt ~ Left
Mast (Mastectomy)
Med Onc (MO) - medical oncologist
Mets (Metastasis)
Mil ~ Mother in law
MLD - manual lymph drainage
Mojo ~ Sex , or lack of
MPBC - Metaplastic Breast Cancer (not to be confused with metastatic breast cancer) - an aggresive rare form of breast cancer. See thread of the same name under "Just Diagnosed"
MRSA - Methcillin-resistant Staphyloccus Aureua, a bacterium that causes an infection that is hard to treat and the bane of women who have had surgery, expecially for breast reconstruction (worth googling for more information)
MX - Mastectomy
NAC - A skin-sparing mastectomy will be performed with preservation of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC).
NB = Navelbine Navelbine is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug
NED (No evidence of Disease
NP - Nurse practitioner
NSM - nipple sparing masectomy
ODAAT ~ One day at a time
Omph (or Ooph) ~ Ovary removal
ONC ~ Oncologist
path=pathology
PBM - prophylactic bilateral mastectomy
PCP - Primary Care Physician
PE - pleural effusion or pulmonary embolism (an example of when you need to chedk with your medical team)
PET scan - Positron Emission Tornography, used to image metabolically active cells, such as cancer cells.
PET-CT scan - a combination of PET and CT which superimposes the matebolically active cells that ‘light up' on the bodily structures so that the radiologist is reading a single image.
PFC = Perfluorinated compounds - suspected carcinogen. See Pg 5 of this thread for link (note I have not checked the reliability of the source)
PICC - peripherally inserted central catheter. When used (occasionally) for chemo, it is sometimes known as an "arm port". More often used for IV antibiotics such as may be required for MRSA and other serious bacterial infections.
PILC - pleomorphic invasive lobular carcinoma
PM - private message
PPI = proton pump inhibitor (the mechanism of action of drugs like Nexium, Prilosec, Protonix, etc.)
PR (Progesterone Receptive) progesterone receptor positive+ or negative-
PS ~ Plastic Surgeon
QOL - quality of life
RADS - Radiation; Radiotherapy
Rad onc(RO) - Radiation oncologist
RS - Recurrent Score
ROFLOL - rolling on floor laughing out loud
Rt ~ Right
SE ~ Side Effects
SNB - sentinel node biopsy
SOB - short of breath
SOH - sense of humor
SX can be used as an abbreviation for 'surgery', or 'symptoms'. http://www.globalrph.com/abbrev_rst.htm
SP - status post
TAH-BSO - Total Abdominal Hysterectomy - Bilateral Salingo Oopherectomu (uterus, cervix, tubes and ovaries removed)
TCH - taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin
TE - temporary expanders or tissue expanders
TIA - thanks in advance
TM = tumor markers
TN (Triple Negative) In regards to negative status for ER/PR and Her2neu status
TMI-Too much information
TRAM flap - Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous flap
TX - treatment
WNL= Within normal limits
Additional info (thanks Leaf) to consider:
There can be multiple meanings for some abbreviations in medicine.
For example, PE is also an abbreviation for pulmonary embolism. (Tamoxifen users are at increased risk for pulmonary embolism.)
One acquaintence with a congenital heart defect (CHD) didn't believe me when I told her that CHD is more commonly an abbreviation for coronary heart disease.
In medical notes, you often have to look at the context. With some abbreviations, it can be difficult.
Comments
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Thank you so much for this. I've been on the site for a couple of weeks now and have struggled with some of the abbreciations.
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There can be multiple meanings for some abbreviations in medicine.
For example, PE is also an abbreviation for pulmonary embolism. (Tamoxifen users are at increased risk for pulmonary embolism.)
One acquaintence with a congenital heart defect (CHD) didn't believe me when I told her that CHD is more commonly an abbreviation for coronary heart disease.
In medical notes, you often have to look at the context. With some abbreviations, it can be difficult.
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BUMPING for new members...
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This is GREAT - thanks so much. We newbies have soooo much to learn - now a new language as well!
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Patoo, thanks for organizing the eariler list.
Sheila
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What is ER+ and PR+
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estrogen receptor positive and progesterone receptor positive.
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/horm_receptors.jsp
Here's a picture. http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/treatment/estrogen_receptors.jsp
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Nice job, Patoo!
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Thanks.
Bumping up.
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Why am I just seeing this...... where was this when I started out???? What is it my grandma said "blind in one eye, cant see out of the other" Very good idea Patoo!! I can still use it! Added to my favorites! Thanks!
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Great idea! I'm so glad you thought of this!
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Can't take credit. Originally posted by "wishiwere". I just combined info from that thread into this one - hence added "- updated".
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What is MX? I've seen this in other threads? Thanks - I refer to this list all the time.
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I'm thinking 'mastectomy'? I'll wait for someone to confirm before I update.
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On these boards at least, MX usually means mastectomy, and SX has been used as an abbreviation for surgery.
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bump
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bump
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bumping up for newbies to find
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SX can be used as an abbreviation for 'surgery', or 'symptoms'. http://www.globalrph.com/abbrev_rst.htm
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BTW - I believe is shorthand (txt typing) for by the way.
Sheila
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I think BWT is But What The .... ? Add your own expletive.
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I was dislexic, I saw btw not bwt. my goof.
Sheila
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bump
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bump
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bump
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bump
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Thank you for this! I still don't understand "bump". What do you do when you see "bump"? Anything? There have a been lots of times when I wanted to ask what does this mean, but was afraid to really look silly (for lack of a better word). Again, thanks!!!
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bump moves the thread to the top of the list so it's easy to find
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