Contents

• Introduction
• List of Abbreviations
• List of Acronyms of Cancer Organisations
• Combined List of Abbreviations and Acronyms

Introduction

This list of has been compiled over a number of years and abbreviations have been collected from a wide range of sources including journal articles and conference presentations.

Acknowledgements Thanks to the following who have contributed additional abbreviations to this list; Jane Evans, Kevin Fishwick, Anna Mitchell, Moira Stewart and the UKCCSG Data Centre.

Abbreviations

Shortcuts: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

5-FU	5-Fluorouracil (anti cancer drug)
6-MP	6-Mercaptopurine (anti cancer drug)
6-TG	6-Thioguanine (anti cancer drug)
AA	Anaplastic Anaemia
ABC	Advanced Breast Cancer
ABMT	Autologous bone marrow transplant
ADR	Adverse Drug Reaction
AE	Adverse event
AFP	Alphafetoprotein - eg. expressed by germ cell tumours and other cancers
AIDS	Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
ALAT	Alanine aminotransferase / alinine transaminase
ALCL	Anaplastic Large-cell Lymphoma
ALL	Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
ALT	Alanine Aminotransferase
AMKL	acute megakaryocytic leukemia
AML	Acute Myeloid leukaemia
ANC	Absolute neutrophil count
ANED	Alive no evidence of disease
ANLL	Acute non-lymphatic leukaemia
ARMS	Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
ASR	Age Standardised Rate (Incidence)
AUC	Area under the curve
B-ALL	B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
BAER	Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responce
BCC	Basal Cell Carcinoma
BID / BD	Twice a day (bis in die)
BM	Bone Marrow
BM	Blood Monitoring (eg for glucose)
BMJ	British Medical Journal
BMR	Basal Metabolic Rate
BMT	Bone Marrow Transplant
BNF	British National Formulary
BP	Blood pressure
BRM	Biological Response Modifier
BSA	Body Surface Area
BSE	Breast Self Examination
Bx	Biopsy
C/O	Complaining of
C/W	Continue With
C1 - C7	Cervical vertebrae (spine eg. C7 = seventh cervical vertebra)
Ca	Cancer; carcinoma
Ca	Calcium
cALL	Common ALL
CAT	Computerised axial tomography (scan)
cc	Cubic centimeter
CCF	Congestive Cardiac Failure
CCR	Continuous complete remission
CEA	Carcinoembryonic Antigen (tumour marker)
CGH	Comparative Genomic Hybridisation - cytogenetics method
CGL	Chronic Granulocytic Leukaemia
cGy	Centi Gray (unit of radiation)
CHF	Congestive heart failure
CLL	Chronic lymphocytic Leukaemia
cm	centimeter - 0.01 meters
CML	Chronic myeloid leukaemia
CMML	chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
CMV	Cytomegalo virus
CNS	Central nervous system - the brain and spine
CPM	Cyclophosphamide (anti cancer drug)
CPR	Cardio pulmonary resuscitation
CR	Complete remission / complete response
CRA	Clinical Research Associate
CRC	Colorectal carcinoma
CRF	Case Report Forms
CRF	Chronic renal failure
CRO	Contract Research Organisation
CSF	Cerebro spinal fluid
CSF	Colony-stimulating Factor
CT	Computerised axial tumography (scan)
CT	Chemotherapy
CTC	Common Toxicity Criteria
CTCL	Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
CTO	Clinical Trials Office
CTX	Clinical Trials Exemption
CVA	Cardiovascular Accident (stroke)
CVC	Central venous catheters
CVP	Central Venous Pressure
CXR	Chest X-Ray
D/C	Discharge
D/H	Drug History
D/W	Discussed With
DCIS	Ductal Carcinoma In Situ - type of breast cancer
DDAVP	Desmopressin test for urine osmolality
DDx	Differential diagnosis
DFI	Disease Free Interval
DFS	Disease Free Survival - time without disease prior to relapse or last follow-up
DI	Diabetes Incipidus
dl	deciletre - 0.01 litres
DLBCL	Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
DLCL	Diffuse large-cell lymphoma
DLS	Date last seen
DLT	Dose limiting toxicity - determined by phase 1 studies
DMC	Data Monitoring Commitee
DNA	Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA	Did Not Attend (clinic)
DNR	Do Not Resusitate
DOA	Dead on Arival
Dx	Diagnosis
EBM	Evidence-Based Medicine
EBV	Epstein-Barr Virus
ECG	Electrocardiogram - heart scan
EDTA	ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid - used in measuring kidney function
EEG	Electroencephalogram - brain scan
EFS	Event Free Survival - time from diagnosis to defined events (eg relapse or deat
EJC	European Journal of Cancer
EMC	Extraskeletal Myxoid Chondrosarcoma
EMUO	Early Morning Urine Osmolality (evaluating urine concentration)
ENT	Ear nose throat
ESR	Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate
ETS	Environmental Tobacco Smoke
F/H	Family history
FAB	French American and British classification scheme for leukaemia
FBC	Full Blood Count
FEV	Forced expectorant volume (a lung test)
FFA	For Further Appointment
FIGO	Federation Internat. Gyn. Obst. (FIGO Gynaecological staging system)
FISH	Flourescence in situ Hybridisation
FMTC	Familial Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
FNA	Fine Needle Aspiration - a type of biposy using a thin needle (or FNAB)
FU	Follow up
FVC	Forced Vital Capacity
g	gram - unit of weight
G-CSF	Granulocyte colony stimulating factor promotes production of white blood cells
GA	General Anaesthetic
GCP	Good Clinical Practice (guidelines)
GCT	Germ Cell Tumour
GCT	Giant Cell Tumour Context: bone tumours
GFR	Gromerular filtration rate
GI	Gastrointestinal
GIST	Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours
GM-CSF	Granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factor
GPR	Good Partial Remission
GU	Genito-urinary
GvHD	Graft versus Host Disease
Gy	Grays (units of radiation)
H&E	Hematoxylin and Eosin (stain)
H/O	History of
Hb	Haemoglobin
HCC	Hepatocellular Carcinoma
HCG	Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hormone)
HCL	Hairy Cell Leukaemia
HCO3	Bicarbonate
HD	Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma)
HD	High dose
HDC	High Dose Chemotherapy
HIV	Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HL-A	Human Leukocyte Associated antigens (HL-A matching for BMT)
HNPCC	Hereditary NonPolyposis Colorectal Cancer
HPV	Human Papilloma Virus - implicated in some gynacological cancers
HR	High risk
HRT	Hormone replacement therapy
HTLV	Human T-cell leukemia-lymphoma virus
I-131	Radioactive Iodine
ICD	International Classification of Diseases (coding system)
ICDO	International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (coding system)
ICF	Intercellular fluid
ICU	Intensive Care Unit
IL2	Interleukin2
IM	Intramuscular - into a muscle
IMRT	Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
INSS	International Neuroblastoma Staging System
ITU	Intensive Therapy Unit
IU	International units
IV	Intravenous - into a vein
IVP	Intravenous Pyelogram - type of Xray after injection with iodine dye
JCO	Journal of Clinical Oncology
K+	Potassium
kg	Kilogram - a thousand grams
l	liter - unit of volume
L1 - L5	Lumbar vertebrae 1 - 5 (spine eg. L1 = 1st lumbar vertebra)
LCH	Langerhans cell histiocytocis
LCIS	Lobular Carcinoma In Situ - type of breast cancer
LDH	Lactic dehydrogenase -high levels correlate with tumour volume in some cancers
LMM	Lentigo Maligna Melanoma
LMP	Low Malignant Potential (context: ovarian tumours)
LN	Lymph Node
LP	Lumbar puncture
LVEF	Left Ventricular Fjection Fraction - a heart function test
LVSF	Left Ventricular Shortening Fraction - a heart function test
Lx	Lumpectomy
m	meter (unit of length)
M/H	Medical history
MAB - mAb	Monoclonal antibody
MDR	Multi drug resistant
MDS	Myelo dysplastic syndrome
MEN	Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia - (familial) a.k.a. FMEN
mEq/l	milliequivalent per liter
mets	Metastases (where the tumour has spread to secondary sites)
Mg	Magnesium
mg	milligram - 0.001 gram
MI	Miocardial Infarction
mIBG	Radioactive Iodine Metaidobenzoguanidine (mIBG scans or mIBG therapy).
ml	millilitre 0.001 liter
MM	Malignant Melanoma
mM	millimole
mm	millimeter - 0.001 meters
MM	Multiple Myeloma
mOsm	milliosmole
MPNST	Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour
MPO	Medical and Pediatric Oncology (journal)
MRI	Magnetic resonance imaging (scan)
MRT	Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour
MSSU	Mid stream specimen urine
MTD	Maximum tolerated dose - phase 1 studies
MTX	Methotrexate (anti cancer drug)
MUD	Matched Urelated Donor - for bone marrow transplant
Mx	Mastectomy
N/V	Nausea and vomiting
Na+	Sodium
NAD	No Abnormality Detected
NBCCS	Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome
NBM	Nil by mouth
NED	No evidence of disease
ng	nanogram - 0.000000001 gram
NHL	Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma
NK	Natural Killer cells (large lymphocytes, part of the immune system)
NK	Not known
NM	Nodular Melanoma
NMR	Nuclear magnetic resonance (scan)
NMSC	Non Melanoma Skin Cancer
NOS	Not otherwise specified (see ICDO)
NPC	Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
NRSTS	Non-Rhabdomyosarcoma Soft Tissue Sarcoma
NSCLC	Non-small cell lung cancer
NSE	Neuron-Specific Enolase - a neural marker
NSR	Non significant result
NSR	Normal Sinus Rhythem
O/E	On Examination
ONB	Olfactory Neuroblastoma
OS	Overall Survival
OS	Osteogenic sarcoma (context bone tumours)
PBSC	Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (see PBSCT)
PBSCH	Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Harvest
PBSCR	Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Rescue (transplant)
PBSCT	Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant
PD	Progressive disease
PDQ	Physician's Data Query (CancerNet)
PET	Positron Emmission Tomography- a scan after a small radioactive injection.
PET	Pancreatic Endocrine Tumor
PFS	Progression Free Survival
pg	picogram - 0.000000000001 gram
pH	hydrogen-ion concentration - acid / alkaline
PH	Past History
PLB	Primary Lymphoma of Bone
PNET	Primitive neuroectodermal tumour Context: CNS tumours
PNET	Peripheral neuroectodermal tumour Context: Bone tumours - see Ewing's tu
PNS	Peripheral nervous system - nervous system outside the brain and spine.
PR	Partial Responce / Partial Remission
PR	per rectum
prn	as required
prn	whenever necessary (pro re nata)
PSA	prostate-specific antigen - PSA test used in screening for prostate cancer
PUD	Peri-Urethral Diathermy (associated with superficial bladder cancer)
QALY	Quality-Adjusted Life Year
qid	Four times a day (quater in die)
QoL	Quality of Life
RBC	Red blood cell / red blood count
RCT	Randomised Controlled Trial
RFS	Relapse free survival - Time from diagnosis to relapse or death.
RIGS	Radioimmunoguided surgery
RMS	Rhabdomyosarcoma
RNA	ribonucleic acid
RT	Radiotherapy
RTPCR	Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
Rx	Treatment
SA	Surface area (see BSA)
SAE	Serious Adverse Event
SC	Subcutaneous
SCC	Squamous Cell Carcinoma
SCLC	Small cell lung cancer
SD	Stable Disease
SDV	Source Data Verification
SGOT	Serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase - a liver function test
SGPT	Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase - a liver function test
SH	Social history
SHO	Senior House Officer
SIADH	Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone
SNP	Single Nucleotide Polymorphism
SOB	Short of breath
SSM	Superficial Spreading Melanoma
T1 - T12	Thoracic vertebrae 1-12 (spine eg. T10 = tenth thoracic vertibra)
TAMs	tumour-associated macrophages
TBI	Total body irradiation
TCC	Transitional Cell Carcinoma (usually bladder cancer)
TCP	Thrombocytopenia
tds / tid	Three times a day (ter in die)
TNF	Tumour Necrosis Factor
TNM	Staging system - primary tumour
TPN	total parenteral nutrition
TRK	Transketolase
U&Es	Urea and Electrolites
UA	Urine analysis
ug	microgram - 0.000001 gram
ULN	Upper Limits of Normal
URTI	Upper respiratory tract infection
US	Ultasound (scan)
UTI	Urinary Tract Infection
UVR	Ultra Violet Radiation
VEF	Ventricular ejection fraction (tests lung function)
VM-26	Teniposide (anti cancer drug)
VMA	Vanillylmandelic Acid
VP-16	Etoposide (anti cancer drug)
WBC	White blood cell count
WCC	White cell count
XRT	Radiotherapy (external)
YST	Yolk sac tumour - (aka. germ cell tumour)

Acronyms of Cancer Organisations

Shortcuts: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

AACR	American Association for Cancer Research
ABPI	Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
ABTA	American Brain Tumour Association
ACDM	Association for Clinical Data Management
ACRPI	Association of Clinical Research for the Pharmaceutical Industry
ACS	American Cancer Society
AIOM	Italian Association for Medical Oncology
AIRO	Associazione Italiana di Radioterapia Oncologica
AJCC	American Joint Committee on Cancer
ASCO	American Society of Clinical Oncology
ASH	American Society for Hematology
ASTRO	American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
BACR	British Association for Cancer Research
BASO	British Association of Surgical Oncologists
BMA	British Medical Association
BNLI	British National Lymphoma Investigation
BOA	British Oncology Association
BODMA	British Oncology Data Managers Association (UK)
CALGB	Cancer and Leukemia Group B (USA)
CCG	Children's Cancer Group (USA)
CCRG	Children's Cancer Research Group (Oxford, UK)
CCS	Canadian Cancer Society
COG	Cooperative Oncology Group (USA)
COS	Canadian Oncology Society
CRC	Cancer Research Campaign (UK)
CSM	Committee on Safety of Medicines (UK)
EACR	European Association for Cancer Research
EANO	European Association for NeuroOncology
EBMT	European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
ECOG	Eastern Cooperative Group (USA)
EICESS	European Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study
ENSG	European Neuroblastoma Study Group
EOI	European Osteosarcoma Intergroup
EORTC	European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer
ESO	European School of Oncology
ESTRO	European Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology
FDA	Food and Drug Administration (USA)
FECS	Federation of European Cancer Societies
GMC	General Medical Council (UK)
GPOH	Gesellschaft fur Padiatrische Onkologie und Hamatologie (German Paed. Onc Group)
IACR	International Association of Cancer Registries
IARC	International Agency for Research on Cancer
IASLC	International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
ICARE	International Cancer Alliance for Research and Education (ICARE)
ICCCPO	International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations
ICCG	International Collaborative Cancer Group
ICCPO	Icelandic Childhood Cancer Parent Organisation
ICH	International Conference on Harmonization (GCP)
ICRF	Imperial Cancer Research Fund (UK)
IESS	Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study (USA)
IMF	International Myeloma Foundation
INFA	International Neurofibromatosis Association
IPSO	International Society of Pediatric Surgical Oncology
ISNCC	International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care
IWMF	International Waldenstrom's Maroglubulinemia Foundation
LREC	Local Research Ethics Committee (UK)
LRF	Leukaemia Research Fund (UK)
LRFA	Lymphoma Research Foundation of America
MCA	Medicines Control Agency (UK)
MRC	Medical Research Council (UK)
MREC	Multi-centre Research Ethics Committee (UK)
NAACCR	North American Association of Central Cancer Registries
NABCO	National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations
NCCF	National Childhood Cancer Foundation (USA)
NCI	National Cancer Institue (USA)
NCIC	National Cancer Institute of Canada
NCRA	National Cancer Registrars Association (USA)
NECCR	North of England Children's Cancer Research Unit
NKCA	National Kidney Cancer Association (USA)
NNFF	National Neurofibromatosis Foundation (USA)
NORD	National Organization for Rare Disorders (USA)
NRCT	National Registry of Childhood Tumours (UK) held by the CCRG at Oxford
OECI	Organization of European Cancer Institutes
ONS	Oncology Nursing Society (USA)
POG	Pediatric Oncology Group (USA)
PONF	Paediatric Oncology Nurses Forum (UK)
SCTN	Scottish Cancer Therapy Network
SEER	Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (USA)
SFOP	French Paediatric Oncology Scociety
SGDM	Study Group on Data Management (EORTC)
SGO	Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
SIOP	International Society of Paediatric Oncology
SNLG	Scottish and Newcastle Lymphoma Group
SPOHNC	Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer
SWOG	Southwest Oncology Group (USA)
UICC	Union Internationale Contre le Cancer - International Union Against Cancer
UKACR	UK Association of Cancer Registeries
UKCCCR	UK Coordinating Committee for Cancer Research
UKCCRG	UK Children's Cancer Research Group (Oxford)
UKCCSG	UK Children's Cancer Study Group (UK)
WHO	World Health Organisation

This guide by Simon Cotterill
Department of Child Health
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
UK

First created 04/03/96
Last modified: 31/08/2000