0-9
A
- Accuracy
- Overall correctness of a test (true positives and true negatives over all results).
General Terms
- Adenocarcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in the gland cells of organs like the pancreas.
General Terms
B
- Biomarker
- A biological molecule found in blood or other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease like cancer.
General Terms
- Biomarker panel
- The combination of biomarkers (e.g. 10-biomarker panel).
General Terms
C
- CA 19-9
- Common serum biomarker for pancreatic cancer monitoring; it has a limited sensitivity and specificity for early detection.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA)
- It is a protein that is normally produced in very small amounts in healthy adults, but it can be found at higher levels in certain cancers such as pancreatic tumours and some non-cancerous conditions.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Cell-free DNA (cfDNA)
- Short DNA fragments found circulating freely in body fluids, primarily in blood plasma. These fragments are typically released through various mechanisms of cell death. In healthy individuals, the majority of cfDNA originates from hematopoietic (blood-forming) cells.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Chronic disease
- A chronic disease is a long-lasting health problem, like cancer. These conditions usually last many years and often require ongoing care and management.
General Terms
- Circulating tumour cells (CTCs)
- Circulating tumour cells are cancer cells that are travelling in the blood. Cells that travel through the blood can give rise to new tumours in other parts of the body (“metastasis”).
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA)
- A tumour-derived subset of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) found in the bloodstream. It consists of short DNA fragments released into circulation by cancer cells through apoptosis, necrosis, or active secretion. ctDNA carries tumour-specific genetic and epigenetic alterations, making it a powerful biomarker for non-invasive cancer detection, monitoring, and treatment guidance.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
D
- Data privacy
- It is the principle that individuals should have control over how their personal information – such as medical or genetic data – is accessed and used. It ensures that data is protected, shared responsibly, and handled in ways that maintain trust and confidentiality.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
- Diabetes
- A chronic metabolic disorder characterised by elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to impaired insulin production, action, or both.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Diagnosis
- Diagnosis is the process of finding out what’s wrong when someone is sick. It involves tests and exams to identify the disease or condition causing symptoms.
General Terms
- Dysplasia
- Is a medical term that means “abnormal growth or development”.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
E
- Early detection
- Early detection means discovering a disease, like cancer, at an early stage before it causes serious problems. Detecting diseases early can make treatment more effective and improve chances of cure.
General Terms
- Exosomes
- Tiny bubbles (vesicles) that cells release into their surroundings. They are like small packages that carry messages or materials from one cell to another. Exosomes are a subtype of EVs.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Extracellular matrix (ECM)
- Is a network of molecules that surrounds and supports the cells in tissues and organs.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs)
- Small vesicles secreted by tumour cells; contain DNA, RNA, lipids, metabolites and proteins. Stable and rich in biomarkers.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
F
- False negative
- Test result indicating no disease when it is actually present.
General Terms
- False positive
- Test result indicating disease when it is not present.
General Terms
- Familial Pancreatic Cancer (FPC)
- Refers to cases of pancreatic cancer that occur within families at a higher-than-expected frequency, typically defined by the presence of two or more first-degree relatives (parent, sibling, child) diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, in the absence of a known hereditary syndrome.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
G
H
- Health technology assessment (HTA)
- It is an evidence-based scientific process of assessing the added value of new health technology (e.g., medicinal products, medical devices, diagnostic tests) compared to current standards of care. HTA is able to contribute to the promotion of innovation, which offers the best outcomes for patients and society as a whole, and is an important tool for ensuring proper application and use of health technologies. The main aim of HTA is to provide policymakers with information so that they can formulate sound, evidence-based health policies.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
- Hereditary Pancreatic Cancer Syndromes
- A group of inherited genetic conditions that significantly increase an individual’s risk of developing PDAC. These syndromes involve germline mutations (an inherited mutation that is present in every cell of the body) in tumour suppressor or DNA repair genes (“brake” genes that usually stop cells from growing or dividing too much) and may occur with or without a strong family history.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
I
- Incidence
- Refers to the number of new cases (e.g. pancreatic cancer) diagnosed within a specific population over a defined time period, usually expressed as the number of cases per 100,000 individuals per year.
General Terms
- Individuals at risk
- Refers to people who have a higher likelihood of developing a specific disease – such as cancer – due to certain genetic, environmental, lifestyle, or medical factors. These individuals may not currently show symptoms but are more likely to benefit from targeted screening or preventive measures.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Inflammation
- Is the body’s biological response to harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a key part of the immune system’s defence mechanism and can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
General Terms
- Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN)
- A type of cystic tumour that arises from the pancreatic ducts, characterised by the production of mucin and a papillary (finger-like) growth pattern inside the ducts. IPMNs are considered precancerous lesions and can progress to invasive pancreatic cancer if left untreated.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
J
K
- KRAS mutation
- A genetic alteration in the KRAS gene, which encodes a protein involved in regulating cell growth, differentiation, and survival. KRAS is part of the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway in the cell, and mutations in this gene can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation, making it one of the most common oncogenic drivers in human cancers.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
L
- Lesion
- A lesion is any abnormal change in the structure of an organ or tissue, typically caused by injury, disease, or infection. In the context of cancer, a lesion often refers to an area of abnormal tissue growth that may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
General Terms
- Liquid Biopsy
- A liquid biopsy is a simple fluid-based (e.g. blood) test that looks for signs of disease, especially cancer. Unlike traditional biopsies that require removing tissue from the body, liquid biopsy is quick, less invasive, and can help track how a disease is changing over time.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
M
- Metabolites
- Metabolites are small molecules produced or used during metabolism within the human body. They play essential roles in energy production, signalling, and maintaining cellular function. They represent the metabolic phenotype, reflecting an organism’s physiological state.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Metastasis
- Metastasis occurs when cancer spreads from the original site to other parts of the body, forming new tumours (for example, when pancreatic tumour cells are in the brain or lung).
General Terms
- Microbiome metabolites
- Our body is populated by large consortia of microorganisms (the microbiome) that have a direct impact on human health. A dysbiosis, an alteration of their community composition, has been linked to disease development. Metabolites produced by the microbiome are key players in disease development and diagnosis.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs)
- Short non-coding RNAs circulating freely or within vesicles. They are dysregulated in many cancers and useful as diagnostic or prognostic markers.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
N
- Negative Predictive Value (NPV)
- A statistical measure used in diagnostic testing that indicates the probability that a person with a negative test result truly does not have the disease. It measures how effectively a diagnostic test identifies true negatives.
General Terms
- Neuroendocrine tumour
- A rare type of neoplasm that arises from neuroendocrine cells—specialised cells that receive neural signals and release hormones into the blood. These tumours can be benign or malignant and are found most commonly in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and lungs, but can occur anywhere in the body.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Non-invasive early cancer detection
- Refers to diagnostic methods that identify cancer at an early stage using minimally or non-invasive techniques, typically analysing molecular biomarkers in body fluids (e.g., blood, urine, saliva). These approaches aim to detect malignancy before symptoms appear, improving the likelihood of successful treatment and survival.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
O
- Outcome
- Refers to measurable results of a cancer diagnosis, treatment, or progression. They reflect the effectiveness, safety, and impact of medical interventions and are essential for evaluating patient prognosis, therapy success, and healthcare quality.
General Terms
P
- Pancreas anatomy
General Terms
- Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
- The most common and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, arising from the epithelial cells of the pancreatic ducts. It accounts for over 90% of all pancreatic malignancies and is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage due to its asymptomatic early course.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN)
- Refers to a group of microscopic, non-invasive epithelial lesions in the small pancreatic ducts, considered to be precursor lesions to PDAC. These lesions represent a stepwise progression from low-grade dysplasia to high-grade dysplasia, eventually leading to invasive cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Patient Advocacy
- It is the process of supporting and empowering patients to navigate the healthcare system and make informed decisions about their care. It involves acting on behalf of patients, or helping them to act for themselves, to ensure they receive the best possible care, access necessary resources, and have their voices heard. It can be done by professionals (like patient advocates or healthcare professionals), informal caregivers (like family members), or the patients themselves.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
- Patient Organisation
- As per the European Medicines Agency (EMA) definition, Patients’ organisations are not-for-profit organisations which are patient-focused, whereby patients and/or carers (the latter when patients are unable to represent themselves) represent a majority of members in governing bodies. Key Features are: Advocacy – they campaign for better access to healthcare, funding for research, and improved policies affecting patients; Support – they provide emotional, informational, and practical support to patients, families, and caregivers; Education – they help raise awareness and provide accurate information about a condition to patients, the public, and even healthcare professionals; Research Involvement – many collaborate with researchers or pharmaceutical companies to help design clinical trials, gather patient perspectives, or fund research directly; Representation – they act as the voice of patients in discussions with governments, regulators, and healthcare providers.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
- Plasma vs. serum samples
- Plasma and serum are both liquids taken from blood. Plasma contains soluble fractions such as proteins and clotting factors, while serum is plasma without those clotting factors. Both are used for testing, but they are prepared differently, and some tests work better with one or the other.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Positive Predictive Value (PPV)
- A statistical measure used in diagnostic testing that indicates the probability that a person with a positive test result actually has the disease. It reflects the test’s effectiveness in correctly identifying true positive cases.
General Terms
- Power calculation
- A statistical method used to determine the minimum sample size needed in a study to detect a true effect or difference with a specified level of confidence. In cancer research, it ensures that a study is adequately designed to evaluate diagnostic accuracy, treatment efficacy, or biomarker performance.
General Terms
- Pre-analytical variables
- Pre-analytical variables are all the factors involved before testing a sample, like how blood is collected, processed, stored, or transported. These factors can affect the accuracy of test results, so they must be carefully controlled to ensure reliable information.
Liquid Biopsy + Components
- Prevalence
- Refers to the total number of existing cases of a specific disease or condition (such as cancer) within a defined population at a particular point in time or over a specific time period. Unlike incidence, which measures new cases, prevalence includes both new and pre-existing cases.
General Terms
- Prognosis
- Prognosis is a forecast about how a disease will progress. It includes predictions about recovery, possible complications, and how long someone might live with the condition.
General Terms
- Public health impact
- It refers to how a health issue, policy, intervention, or environmental factor affects the health of a group of people. It is typically measured by changes in rates of illness, death, or disability. This concept captures both how many people are affected and how serious the health consequences are. For example, a screening program that detects cancer early may reduce deaths and improve quality of life across a population, demonstrating a strong public health impact.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
Q
R
- Resectable vs. unresectable tumours
- A resectable tumour is one that can be completely removed by surgery with clear margins (no tumour cells at the edges of the resection). Surgical resection offers the best chance for curative treatment, particularly in cancers such as pancreatic cancer. An unresectable tumour is one that cannot be safely or completely removed by surgery, often due to extensive local invasion (e.g. into major arteries or organs), distant metastasis (e.g. liver, lung, peritoneum), poor patient health or surgical risk.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Right to know & Right to not know
- The right to know means that individuals have the right to receive clear, complete, and accurate personal health or genetic information—such as test results or risk levels—so they can make informed decisions about their health, treatment, or future planning. The right not to know allows individuals to decline or avoid personal health or genetic information if they choose. This respects their autonomy and can protect emotional well-being, especially when the information may be distressing or unwanted.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
- Risk factor
- A risk factor is something that increases the chance of developing a disease. Examples include smoking, family history, or other factors.
General Terms
- ROC Curve (Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve)
- A graphical plot that shows the diagnostic ability of a binary classifier system. It is a graph that shows how well a test or model can tell the difference between two groups, e.g. people with a disease and people without it.
General Terms
S
- Screening
- Screening involves tests done to find a disease early in healthy people before symptoms appear. It helps catch diseases like cancer early when they are easier to treat.
General Terms
- Sensitivity
- Sensitivity measures how good a test is at detecting a disease when it is actually there. High sensitivity means fewer missed cases, reducing false negatives.
General Terms
- Specificity
- Specificity measures how well a test correctly identifies people who do not have the disease. High specificity means fewer false positives and more accurate results.
General Terms
- Stakeholder engagement
- It is the process of involving individuals or groups who are affected by or can affect an organisation’s decisions or actions. It involves identifying, analysing, and prioritising stakeholders, then establishing communication and building relationships to achieve shared goals and manage potential conflicts. It means communicating and working with people who have a “stake” in what you’re doing, whether that’s a business project, a government policy, or a community initiative. It is crucial to build trust and transparency, to reduce resistance or conflict, to improve decision-making by incorporating diverse perspectives, and to increase support for the project or initiative.
Ethics, Policy & Health Economics
T
- True negative
- Test result indicating no disease when it is not present.
General Terms
- True positive
- Test result indicating disease when it is present.
General Terms
- Tumour microenvironment
- Refers to the complex and dynamic ecosystem surrounding a tumour, consisting of non-cancerous cells, signalling molecules, blood vessels, extracellular matrix (ECM), and immune components that interact with and influence tumor development, progression, and response to treatment.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
- Tumour Stage (TNM System)
- A globally recognised framework used to describe the extent and severity of cancer. Developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), TNM staging helps guide treatment decisions and estimate prognosis.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
U
V
W
- Whipple Procedure (Pancreaticoduodenectomy)
- Surgical removal of the pancreatic head, duodenum, and other structures.
Pancreatic Cancer Specific Terms
X
Y
Z