CTCAE
Medical abbreviation · Hematology and Oncology
| Stands for | Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
CTCAE stands for Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, a hematology and oncology abbreviation.
Standardized grading system published by the US National Cancer Institute for describing side effects of cancer treatment, from grade 1 (mild) to grade 5 (death related to the adverse event). It is used in clinical trials and routine oncology practice to guide dose changes.
Example: CTCAE grade 3 diarrhea (7 or more stools a day over baseline): hold capecitabine.
Usage notes
Version 6.0, released in 2025, revised grading for patients with abnormal baseline lab values and for immunotherapy side effects; many ongoing trials still use version 5.0 (2017). Grade 3 or 4 toxicity often triggers dose delays or reductions under trial protocols. The patient-reported version, PRO-CTCAE, captures symptoms directly from patients.
Related abbreviations
More hematology and oncology abbreviations
- CLL – Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- CML – Chronic myeloid leukemia
- CR – Complete response
- CRAB – Hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, anemia, bone lesions
- CRS – Cytokine release syndrome
- Cryo – Cryoprecipitate
- ctDNA – Circulating tumor DNA
- CTLA-4 – Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4
- CUP – Cancer of unknown primary
- DCIS – Ductal carcinoma in situ
- DFS – Disease-free survival
- DIC – Disseminated intravascular coagulation
See all 144 hematology and oncology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.