E
- Edema:
- Swelling or accumulation of fluid in a body part.
- Effusion:
- Collection of fluid in tissue or in a body cavity, such as in the chest (pleural effusion).
- Ejaculation:
- The release of semen through the penis during sexual orgasm.
- Eligibility criteria:
- In a clinical trial, the participant eligibility criteria may include age, sex or type of cancer, or it may include more specific information about the patient and his/her type of cancer.
- Encapsulated:
- A tumor that is located in only one area and is completely surrounded by a layer of tissue.
- Endocrine therapy:
- Also called hormonal therapy. This is treatment of cancer by removing, blocking or administering hormones.
- Endometrial cancer:
- A cancer of the layer of tissue that lines the uterus.
- Endometriosis:
- The tissue that lines the uterus is called the endometrium. In endometriosis, this same tissue can be found growing outside of the uterus where it does not belong.
- Endometrium:
- The lining of the uterus.
- Endoscope:
- A thin, lighted instrument used to examine parts of the inside of the body.
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP):
- An examination of the pancreas where a tube in inserted down the throat, through the stomach and into the pancreas. A dye is injected and X-rays are taken to show abnormalities. The ERCP can also be used to obtain tissue samples for biopsy.
- Endoscopy:
- An examination that uses a hollow tube with a light that visualizes the inside of a body cavity.
- Endpoint:
- What researchers measure to evaluate the results of a treatment being tested in a clinical trial. Some examples of endpoints would be tumor response, side effects, and survival time.
- Engraftment:
- Return of normal hematopoiesis, or production and maturing of blood cells, following bone marrow transplantation.
- Enteral feeding:
- A way of feeding patients by the administration of feedings through a tube directly into the stomach or intestines.
- Enterostomal therapy nurse (WOC Nurse):
- A nurse specially trained to help patients with stomas (openings in the abdomen created to remove wastes), wounds, skin care concerns, or continence problems.
- Enucleation:
- Complete surgical removal of the eyeball.
- Epidermis:
- The outer layer of skin that contains both squamous and basal cells.
- Epididymis:
- A long twisted tube at the side of the testicles where the sperm mature.
- Epidural:
- Situated upon or outside the dura mater, the outermost and toughest membrane of the brain and spinal cord.
- Epiglottis:
- A flap of tissue that covers the trachea when swallowing so that food does not go into the lungs.
- Epistaxis:
- Nosebleed.
- Epithelium:
- A thin layer of tissue that covers organs, glands and other parts of the body.
- Erythema:
- Redness of the skin.
- Erythrocytes:
- The red blood cells that carry oxygen and are responsible for the red color of the blood.
- Esophageal speech:
- A learned method of speaking used by individuals who have had their voice box or larynx removed.
- Esophagectomy:
- A surgery to remove a part of the esophagus, the food tube.
- Esophagitis:
- Inflammation of the esophagus or food tube.
- Esophagoscopy:
- Examination of the esophagus with a thin, lighted scope.
- Esophagus:
- A muscular tube which runs from the back of the throat to the stomach. Food travels through the tube to get to the stomach.
- Estrogen:
- A female sex hormone. It has been linked with several cancers, including breast and endometrial cancer, and may be used in the treatment of prostate cancer.
- Estrogen receptor assay:
- A test that determines if breast cancer is stimulated by the hormone estrogen.
- Etiology:
- The causes of disease.
- Evisceration:
- A term used when a portion of bowel pops out through a surgical incision that has not healed completely. When used in connection with the eye, it means removal of the contents of the eyeball, with the white part of the eye being left intact.
- Excision:
- Surgical removal.
- Excisional biopsy:
- A surgery to remove a tumor or lesion for microscopic examination. For example, in breast cancer an excisional biopsy would remove an entire lump rather than just a piece of it.
- Extended radical neck dissection:
- A surgical procedure that involves removal of additional lymph node groups or other structures relative to the Radical Neck Dissection.
- External beam radiation therapy:
- Treating cancer with the use of radiation from a machine, usually located at a distance from the body. Another name for radiation therapy.
- Extravasation:
- The leaking of intravenous fluids out of the vein into the soft tissue. When the intravenous fluid contains medicines that are caustic (harsh), tissue damage may occur.
F
- Fallopian tubes:
- Two slender tubes about three inches long which connect the ovaries to the uterus. After eggs are expelled from the ovary, they travel through the fallopian tube to the uterus.
- Familial adenomatous polyposis:
- A hereditary condition that causes the development of numerous polyps in the lining of the colon and rectum. It increases the risk of cancer.
- Fecal:
- Refers to the stools or bowel movements.
- Fecal cccult blood test:
- A test that checks for hidden (occult) blood in the stool (fecal material).
- Fertility:
- The ability to reproduce children.
- Fibroids:
- A general term to describe benign tumors arising in the muscle of the uterus. The medical name is leiomyoma uteri.
- Fine needle aspiration:
- A procedure in which a needle is inserted under local anesthesia to obtain a sample for the evaluation of suspicious tissue.
- Fistula:
- An abnormal channel-like opening between two areas of the body. A fistula may be present at birth or occur because of injury, infection, or cancer.
- Fistula repair:
- A surgical procedure to remove the fistula channel and stitch or staple the hole to return the tissue to normal function.
- Five-year survival:
- A measurement of the effect of cancer treatment over a five-year period of time. Survival rates include persons who survive five years after diagnosis, whether in remission, disease-free, or under treatment.
- Fractionated radiation therapy:
- Dividing the total dose of radiation into smaller equal doses, which are given over a period of days.
- Free radicals:
- Chemicals that often contain oxygen and can damage important cell components, including the DNA.
- Frozen section:
- A diagnostic technique done by a pathologist on a piece of tissue removed by a surgeon. The tissue is quick frozen, stained, then examined under a microscope to determine if it is benign or malignant.
- Fulguration:
- Destroying tissue using an electric current.
- Fundus:
- The bottom of an organ, or the part opposite the opening of a hollow organ.