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abdomen The part of the body between the chest and hips, which contains the stomach, liver, intestines, bladder and kidneys. acute Happening suddenly then subsiding after a short period of time. Brief and severe.
adenocarcinoma [a-den-o car-ci-no-ma] A cancer that involves the cells lining the walls of many different organs of the body. It starts in glandular tissue or has a gland like appearance. For example, it is a type of lung cancer that accounts for about one-quarter of all lung cancers. This cancer starts in the bronchial glands that are found in the mucous membrane lining the smaller airways.
adenoma [a-den-o-ma] A benign tumour (not a cancer) that starts in gland tissue or has a gland-like appearance. An adenoma may become malignant (cancerous) if it is not treated.
adjuvant treatment [ad-ju-vant] Treatment that aids or assists the main treatment, for example, adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be used before surgery to shrink a tumour, or after the main treatment to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. Also called adjuvant therapy.
adrenal glands Triangular glands which cover the top of each kidney. The glands produce adrenaline and some other hormones.
advanced cancer Cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and/or is unlikely to be cured.
AIDS (acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome) [AIDS] (HIV) A viral disease (HIV) transmitted in blood, semen and vaginal fluid that affects the body's immune system so that it can no longer fight disease. Because of the weakened immune system, normally mild infections take hold and become serious. Certain opportunistic cancers may occur, for example Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
alimentary tract [al-i-ment-a-ry] The long passage in which food passes through the body and is digested. The alimentary tract consists of the mouth and throat (pharynx), oesophagus, stomach, bowel (small and large intestine) and anus. Also called the alimentary canal, or digestive tract: see gastrointestinal tract.
allogeneic Tissue from a donor.
alopecia [al-o-pe-cia] Loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia often occurs as a result of chemotherapy . Hair lost in this way usually regrows after treatment is completed.
anaemia [a-nae-mi-a] (adj. anaemic [a-nae-mic]) A reduction in the amount of haemoglobin in the blood, or a reduction in the number of red blood cells (which contain the haemoglobin). Anaemia decreases the amount of oxygen carried to the body's tissues. Anaemia may cause tiredness and fatigue, breathlessness, paleness and a poor resistance to infection
anaesthetic [an-aes-thet-ic] A drug administered to stop a person feeling pain, usually during a medical procedure. A local anaesthetic is injected to numb a limited area of the body, often to perform a biopsy. A general anaesthetic causes the person to lose consciousness. With a spinal anaesthetic (spinal block, epidural), the anaesthetic is injected into the space around the spinal cord to block all feeling from nerves below that area. Spinal anaesthetics are sometimes used to treat cancer pain.
analgesic [an-al-ge-sic] A drug that is used to relieve pain. Some can also be given to reduce fever.
angiogenesis The formation of new blood vessels to support tissue. Angiogenesis enables tumours to develop their own blood supply, which helps them to survive and grow.
angiogram [an-gi-o gram]/angiography [an-gi-og-raphy] An x-ray of blood vessels which have been injected with dye. An angiography is a diagnostic test in which a radio-opaque dye is injected into the blood stream and x-rays are then taken. The dye makes the blood vessels show up on the x-rays, and any abnormal vessels can be seen. The x-ray is called an angiogram or, sometimes, an arteriogram.
antibiotic [an-ti bi-ot-ic] A drug, for example, penicillin, used to treat diseases caused by bacteria . Some chemotherapy drugs are sometimes called anti-tumour antibiotics.
antibody [an-ti bo-dy] Part of the body's immune system. Antibodies are proteins made by the blood in response to an invader (antigen) in the body. They help protect against viruses, bacteria and other foreign substances. Each antibody only acts against one particular antigen, thus antibodies produced in response to, say, the mumps virus will defend the body against mumps, but no other disease.
anticoagulant A substance that prevents blood clotting. It can be used when separating stem cells from other blood cells during stem cell transplantation
antiemetic [an-ti e-met-ic] A drug (or medicine) that helps to control nausea and vomiting, including that caused by cancer or its treatment.
antifungal [an-ti fung-al] A drug or ointment used to treat or prevent fungal infections such as Candida albicans. People receiving chemotherapy may be advised to use antifungals as a preventive measure.
antigen [an-ti-gen] Common antigens include viruses, bacteria, foreign cells, pollen, and dust. When antigens invade the body, the blood is stimulated to produce antibodies to fight them. This reaction is part of the body's immune system.
anus [a-nus] The opening at the end of the anal canal through which faeces (bowel motions) are passed.
apheresis The process in which blood is temporarily taken from the body, one or more parts of it removed, and the blood transferred back into the body.
areola [a-re-o-la] The brownish or pink area that surrounds the nipple of the breast.
arterial embolisation A form of treatment for kidney cancer. It is usually used for people who are not well enough to cope with surgery. The artery which feeds the diseased kidney is blocked, causing the kidney and the tumour in the kidney to die.
artery A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.
asbestosis [as-bes to-sis] A chronic lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibres.
ascites [as-cit-es] A buildup of fluid in the abdomen, making it swollen and bloated, which can be caused by the presence of cancer within the abdomenal cavity.
aspiration 1. Inhaling or breathing something other than air into the lungs (when something 'goes down the wrong way'). 2. Removing fluid or air from within the body by sucking it through a needle into a syringe. Fluid may be aspirated from a breast lump. This fluid is usually examined under a microscope to provide an accurate diagnosis .
atrophy [a-tro-phy] The wasting away of an organ or tissues.
atypical ductal hyperplasia A condition that can occur in the lining of the milk ducts in the breast. Sometimes called ductal hyperplasia with atypia.
autologous Tissue from oneself.
axilla [ax-il-la] (adj. axillary) / axillary lymph nodes [ax-il-la-ry lymph nodes] Armpit. Axillary lymph nodes are located deep in the armpit.
axillary clearance [ax-il-la-ry clear-ance] Removal of the axillary lymph nodes during breast cancer surgery
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