immunocompromised [imm-u-no com-pro-mised] This means the immune system is not working properly, possibly as the result of disease or a genetic condition, or it may be a side-effect of drugs (medicines), for example, some chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment. It can also be a side-effect of radiotherapy if a large area is treated.

immunosuppression [imm-u-no sup-pres-sion] When the body's immune system is deliberately suppressed (for example, when a person receives an organ or tissue transplant) by the use of immunosuppressive drugs or medicines given to reduce the possibility that the immune system in the host body will reject the new organ or tissue. A drug (medicine) is considered immunosuppressive if it reduces the body's resistance to infection and other foreign bodies. However, a side-effect of immunosuppression is that the person is also more likely to develop infections and cancers of the skin or lymph tissue .

immunotherapy [imm-u-no ther-a-py] A treatment that attempts to use the body's own defences to fight cancer by trying to strengthen the immune system so it will destroy the cancer cells.

implant [im-plant] see radioactive implant .

incidence The number of new cases of a disease occurring during a given period (usually one year) in a specific population, for example, in Victoria the incidence of cancer (excluding basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin) in 1994 was about 364 per 100,000 men and 270 per 100,000 women.

incontinence 1. Loss of control over the bladder and urine; wetting. 2. Inability to control bowel movements.

infiltration Where cancer cells spread into surrounding tissue. Also called local invasion .

inflammatory carcinoma [in-flam-ma-to-ry car-ci-no-ma] A type of breast cancer that usually presents with a noticeable warmth and reddening of thebreast skin. There may also be puckering of the skin and swelling of the breast.

informed consent A legal standard that requires a patient to be fully informed about the potential risks and benefits of therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy and the procedures of surgery before undergoing such therapy or surgery. Once they are aware of the procedure(s), the patient signs a form giving medical staff permission to proceed.

infusaport [in-fu-sa-port] see intravenous access device .

infusion The slow release of a substance into a blood vessel or into tissue beneath the skin . Drugs or intravenous feeding may be deliverd this way: see intravenous access device .

insulin A substance in the pancreas which regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. If the body does not produce enough insulin, diabetes will develop.

interferons [in-ter-fer-ons] Proteins produced by the body that can help the immune system fight cancer. Interferons can also slow the growth of cancer cells or make them act like normal cells. These proteins can be made in a laboratory and used in immunotherapy.

interleukins Proteins produced by the body that can help the immune system to fight cancer. Interleukins stimulate the growth of the white blood cells that can kill cancer cells. These proteins can be made in a laboratory and used in immunotherapy.

internal radiation Radiotherapy using radioactive implants .

intestine [in-tes-tine] see bowel .

intraductal carcinoma [in-tra duc-tal car-ci-no-ma] The most common type of breast cancer , which begins in the milk ducts : see breast . Also called ductal carcinoma , intraductal cancer.

intraductal papilloma [in-tra duc-tal pap-ill-o-ma] A papilloma (benign growth, not a cancer ) in the milk ducts of the breast . May develop into breast cancer : see precancerous condition .

intravesical chemotherapy Chemotherapy in a fluid, which is put into the bladder through a tube into the urethra.

invasive cancer [in-va-sive can-cer] A cancer that has started to invade the tissues surrounding it.

irradiation [ir-ra-di-a-tion] Exposure to any form of radiant energy (or radiation ) including heat, sunlight, x-rays , gamma rays . Radiotherapy uses irradiation with x-rays or gamma rays to treat cancer .

IV see intravenous .