A
- Abdomen or abdominal area:
- The area of the body below the diaphragm between the chest and the pelvis. The organs of the digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts are located in the abdomen.
- Absolute neutrophil nount:
- In a white blood count, the absolute count is the actual number of neutrophils in the blood, rather than the percentage.
- Accelerated Ppase:
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia that is progressing. The number of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow is higher than the chronic phase but not as high as in a blast crisis.
- Actinic keratosis:
- A pre-cancerous condition of thick, scaly patches of skin.
- Acoustic neuroma:
- A benign tumor of the hearing nerve.
- Acute:
- Sudden onset of symptoms or disease.
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL):
- ALL is one of four basic types of leukemia. In ALL, there is abnormal production of immature lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
- Acute myelogenous or non-lymphocytic leukemia (AML):
- AML is one of four basic types of leukemia. In AML, there is an abnormal production of granulocytes or myeloid cells, a type of white blood cell.
- Adenocarcinoma:
- A type of cancer that involves the cells of glandular organs. Adenocarcinomas may occur in the breast, esophagus, lung, pancreas, prostate, small intestine, stomach, vagina, and other organs.
- Adenoids:
- Pieces of lymphoid tissue located on both sides at the back of the pharynx or throat, near the tonsils. Lymphoid tissue is part of the immune system.
- Adenoma:
- A benign or malignant tumor arising in the lining of an organ.
- Adenopathy:
- Enlarged lymph nodes.
- Adjuvant treatment:
- Treatment that is added to increase effectiveness of the first treatment done. In cancer, adjuvant treatment usually refers to chemotherapy or radiation therapy given after surgery to increase the chance for cure.
- Adrenal glands:
- Two small organs located near the kidneys that release hormones affecting various body functions.
- Adverse effects:
- Undesired effects of treatment.
- Aklyating agents:
- A group of chemotherapy drugs that interferes with the division of cells, slowing or stopping their growth and reproduction.
- Alkaloid:
- A type of chemical made by plants. Some types of chemotherapy are made from alkaloids.
- ALL:
- See acute lymphocytic leukemia.
- Allogeneic bone marrow transplant:
- A type of transplant where the bone marrow is obtained from another person.
- Alopecia:
- Loss of hair, baldness. May include all body hair, not just the hair on the scalp.
- Alternative medicine:
- Treatment that generally is not recognized by medical professionals as standard or conventional. Some people choose to use alternative medicine instead of standard medicine. Examples of alternative medicine may include megadoses of vitamins or herbs, drinking of special teas, and practices such as magnet therapy.
- Alveoli:
- Tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles in the lungs.
- AML:
- See Acute Myelogenous or Non-lymphocytic Leukemia.
- Analgesic:
- A drug used to relieve pain.
- Anaplastic:
- Cells that divide very rapidly and have very little resemblance to normal cells.
- Anastomosis:
- Surgery to connect the healthy sections of tubular structures after the diseased part has been surgically removed.
- Androgen:
- A male sex hormone. Androgens may be used in some patients with cancer to treat recurrence of the disease.
- Anemia:
- A condition of the blood when there are too few red blood cells.
- Anesthesia:
- Medications given to promote loss of feeling or awareness. General anesthesia causes a person to fall asleep.
- Angiogenesis:
- Blood vessel formation. Tumor cells release chemicals that promote the growth of blood vessels within the tumor.
- Angiogram:
- An of the blood vessels. Dye is injected into the patient to outline the blood vessels on the X-ray.
- Anorexia:
- Loss of appetite.
- Anterior mediastinotomy:
- A surgery where a tube is inserted into the chest to view the tissues and organs in the area between the breastbone and the spine. During this procedure, doctors can take tissue samples of the lymph nodes on the left side of the chest.
- Anti-androgen:
- A medication used to block the production of the male hormones (androgens) in the body. This kind of treatment may be used to treat prostate cancer.
- Anti-angiogenesis:
- Prevention of the growth of new blood vessels.
- Antibiotics:
- Substances derived from other organisms such as mold or bacteria that can be used to treat diseases. Penicillin and streptomycin are examples. There are a few antibiotics used to treat cancer.
- Antibody:
- A protein substance formed by the body to help defend it against disease.
- Anti-emetic:
- A medicine that is used to prevent or treat nausea/vomiting.
- Antigen:
- A substance that prompts the body to produce antibodies.
- Anti-hormones:
- Medicine used to block the production of hormones that can stimulate cancer growth.
- Antineoplastic:
- Medicine that stops the growth of cancer cells.
- Antioxidants:
- A substance that can prevent cell damage by binding with free radicals.
- Apoptosis:
- A series of events that lead to cell death.
- Areola:
- The dark colored skin that surrounds the nipple of the breast.
- Ascites:
- Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
- Aspirate:
- The fluid or material that is removed by aspiration (suction) from a body area.
- Aspiration:
- A procedure to remove fluid or material from a body area, such as the chest or abdomen, often done with a needle and syringe. It is often done to help make a diagnosis.
- Assent:
- In a clinical trial, children and adolescents are not capable of giving true informed consent, so they are asked for their assent or agreement, to participate in a trial.
- Asymptomatic:
- Showing no symptoms or signs of disease.
- Ataxia:
- Loss of muscle coordination.
- Ataxic gait:
- Awkward walking.
- Atypical:
- Unusual, abnormal.
- Audit:
- In a clinical trial, on-site monitoring of the trial procedures, documents and data is called an audit.
- Autoimmune disease:
- A condition where a personís normal immune system makes antibodies against his or her own body.
- Autologous bone marrow transplant:
- A transplant where the patient's own bone marrow is removed, stored, treated and returned to the patient.
- Axilla:
- The armpit.
- Axillary nodes:
- Lymph glands in the armpit.
B
- Barium enema:
- An X-ray examination of the colon using barium sulfate.
- Basal cell carcinoma:
- The most common form of skin cancer. It is slow growing, and rarely spreads to other areas. It is easily cured when treated early.
- Basal cells:
- Small round cells found in the lower part of the epidermis, the outer layer of skin.
- Basophil:
- A type of white blood cell. Basophils are granulocytes.
- B-cells:
- A type of white blood cell that makes antibodies and is part of the immune system. Also called B lymphocytes.
- BCG:
- Bacillus Calmette Guerin: A type of biological therapy used to treat superficial bladder cancer. A catheter is used to insert the BCG solution into the bladder. The solution stimulates the immune system.
- Benign:
- A tumor or growth that is not cancerous and will not spread to other areas of the body.
- Benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH:
- A non-cancerous growth of prostate tissue. It may cause symptoms similar to prostate cancer.
- Bilateral:
- Relating to both the right and left sides of the body or its parts.
- Bilateral salpingo-olphorectomy:
- A surgery to remove both fallopian tubes and ovaries.
- Biliary:
- Referring to the bile ducts, liver or gallbladder.
- Biological response modifiers (BRM):
- Substances which are naturally produced in the body and can be made in a laboratory. They boost the body's immune system to fight disease. Interferon is an example of a biological response modifier.
- Biological therapy:
- A treatment that stimulates the body is own immune system to fight cancer.
- Biopsy:
- The surgical removal of a small piece of tissue to determine if the area is cancerous.
- Bladder:
- The hollow organ that stores urine.
- Blast:
- An immature or imperfectly developed blood cell.
- Blast crisis:
- Also called a blast phase. This occurs when the number of immature and abnormal white cells in the bone marrow and blood is very high.
- Blood-brain barrier:
- A membrane that acts like a barrier to prevent harmful substances from getting into the spinal fluid and brain. This barrier can also prevent chemotherapy drugs from reaching a tumor in the brain.
- Blood count:
- A blood test used to determine the number of the various types of blood cells.
- Blood vessels:
- Tubes that carry blood throughout the body.
- Bone marrow:
- The inner cavity of bone which normally contains the spongy substance which produces red and white blood cells and platelets.
- Bone marrow ablation:
- Using radiation therapy or chemotherapy to destroy the bone marrow.
- Bone marrow biopsy and aspiration:
- A test where a needle is inserted into the bone of the hip or sternum (breast bone) to obtain a bone marrow sample for microscopic study and examination.
- Bone marrow harvest:
- Removal of bone marrow from the hip bone for use in autologous or allogeneic transplantation.
- Bone marrow transplant:
- A procedure where a patient's bone marrow is replaced with healthy marrow. In an autologous transplant, the patient's own marrow is harvested, possibly treated, and then transplanted. In an allogeneic transplant, another person donates the marrow.
- Bone scan:
- A type of diagnostic examination that takes pictures of the bones after a radioactive dye is injected into a vein. This examination can show tumors of the bone.
- Bowel:
- Another name for intestine. Humans have both a small and a large bowel.
- Brachytherapy:
- A therapy where radioactive materials are implanted directly into a tumor or body cavity, causing death of cancer cells.
- Brain scan:
- A type of X-ray examination using a radioactive dye injected into a vein that will show injury, disease or healing.
- Brain stem:
- The part of the brain connected to the spinal cord. The brain stem controls basic body functions, including blood pressure, heart beat, and breathing.
- BRCA1:
- A gene, that when damaged, may increase a woman's chance of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer.
- Breast conserving surgery:
- A surgery that removes cancer from a breast, but not the breast itself. There are three types of breast conserving surgery: a lumpectomy (surgery that removes a lump), quadrantectomy (surgery that removes one quarter of the breast), and segmental mastectomy (surgery that removes the cancer, some tissue around the tumor, and the lining over the chest muscles below the tumor).
- Breast lobe:
- The part of the breast where milk is made.
- Breast reconstruction:
- A surgery that rebuilds a breast's shape with tissue after a mastectomy
- Breast self-exam (BSE):
- A procedure done by women themselves on a monthly basis to detect early changes in the breast which may indicate a problem such as cancer.
- Bronchi:
- The large air passages of the lungs.
- Bronchial tubes:
- Tubes that branch off from the trachea, carrying air to the lungs and to the lobes in each lung.
- Bronchioles:
- Tiny branches of air tubes in the lung.
- Bronchoscope:
- A thin, lighted instrument used to examine the inside of the trachea and bronchi.
- Bronchoscopy:
- A direct examination of the air passages of the lungs. A narrow, flexible tube called a bronchoscope is gently inserted either into the nose or throat and then through the voice box, down the trachea, and into the large airways of the lungs.
- BSO:
- Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, or the removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries on both sides.
- Buccal:
- The area inside of the cheek and lips.