Glossary

Our extensive collection of web-based and other resources for patients, families, and caregivers provides easy access to information on a wide variety of subjects related to pancreatic cancer.

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There are currently 19 Terms in this directory beginning with the letter E.
Early-stage cancer
Cancer that has had little or no growth into nearby tissues.
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Scale
A rating scale of one's ability to do daily activities.
Edema
Swelling around tissue due to the buildup of fluid.
Efficacy
Effectiveness; the power to produce a desired result.
Endocrine gland
A gland that secretes its hormone directly into the bloodstream that flows through it, rather than through an opening; endocrine tissue comprises 5 percent of the pancreas.
Endocrinologist
A physician who specializes in disorders of glands of the endocrine system.
Endoscope
Thin, tube-like instrument used to look at tissue inside the body; an endoscope has a light and a lens for viewing and may have a tool to remove tissue.
Endoscopic biopsy
A type of biopsy that uses a long, thin tube with a camera on the end to go down the esophagus to remove tissue samples.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Minimally invasive procedure during which a thin, lighted tube is passed down the throat, through the stomach and small intestine, and into the bile duct and pancreatic duct to view them for obstruction and to take X-rays.
Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)
Procedure in which an endoscope is inserted down the throat and into the stomach and duodenum; a probe at the end of the endoscope is used to bounce high-energy sound waves off internal organs to make images.
Enzymes
Proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body and that the body produces naturally; enzymes help the body with functions such as digesting food.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
A protein on the edge of a cell that sends signals for the cell to grow.
Erlotinib hydrochloride (Tarceva)
One of the approved chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer, it is a receptor kinase inhibitor and prevents cancer cells from multiplying.
Esophagus
The tube that connects the throat with the stomach; the esophagus lies between the trachea (windpipe) and the spine; it passes down the neck, through the diaphragm, and joins the upper end of the stomach.
Everolimus
An approved antineoplastic chemotherapy drug used to treat pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Excision
Removal by surgery.
Excisional biopsy
Removal of an entire tumor to test for disease.
Exocrine gland
A gland that secretes its fluid through a duct; exocrine tissue comprises 95 percent of the pancreas.
External beam radiation therapy
Treatment for cancer in which a beam of high-dose radiation is focused on the tumor from outside of the body.