National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov

NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
Dictionary of Cancer Terms
In English   En español
Page Options
Print This Page
More NCI Dictionaries
NCI Drug Dictionary

Glossary of Statistical Terms

NCI Dictionary of Genetics Terms

Terminology Resources
Quit Smoking Today
Search for
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
In English   En español

differentiation

 In cancer, refers to how mature (developed) the cancer cells are in a tumor. Differentiated tumor cells resemble normal cells and tend to grow and spread at a slower rate than undifferentiated or poorly differentiated tumor cells, which lack the structure and function of normal cells and grow uncontrollably.



Previous Definitions:dietary protocol, Dietary Reference Intakes, dietary supplement, diethylstilbestrol, dietitian
Next Definitions:diffuse, diffuse hyperplastic perilobar nephroblastomatosis, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, difluoromethylornithine

A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov