The TLC Medical Dictionary explains the most common terms you need to know to completely understand your treatment and what is happening to your body. If you hear a word or expression not listed here, don't be afraid to ask someone on your medical team. Or you can email the editor and a medical advisor will get back to you with an explanation.

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A

abdomen (ab-do-men)

The part of your body between the chest and the pelvis containing the stomach (with the lower part of the esophagus), small and large intestines, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and bladder.

ablative therapy (ab-lay-tive )

Treatment that removes or destroys the function of an organ or system. For example, high dose chemotherapy and radiation before a bone marrow transplant is considered ablative therapy because it wipes out your immune system.

absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The percentage of polys and bands that are part of your total white blood count. If your ANC. is less than 1,000, you are very prone to infection.

adjuvant therapy (add-joo-vunt)

Treatment used in addition to your main treatment. It usually refers to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy added after surgery to increase the chances of curing your disease or keeping it in check.

afebrile

Having no fever, normal temperature

alkaline

Any substance that can neutralize acids. Alkaline urine is needed to neutralize uric acid, the product of tumor cell breakdown that can be harmful to your kidneys.

alopecia (al-o-pee-shuh)

Hair loss. This often occurs as a result of chemotherapy or from radiation therapy to the head. In most cases, the hair grows back after treatment ends.

alternative therapy

Non-conventional treatment that may not be medically proven. Some alternative therapies may have dangerous or even life-threatening side effects. With others, the main danger is that you may lose the opportunity to benefit from conventional therapy. It is recommended that you discuss the use of alternative therapies with your health care team. See also complementary therapy.

ambulatory

The ability to walk; not confined to bed.

amputation

The surgical removal of a diseased body part.

analgesic

A drug used for reducing pain.

anaphylaxis

An allergic reaction ranging from relatively mild (hives) to very serious (shock).

anemia (uh-neem-ee-uh)

Low red blood cell count which can cause you to feel fatigued and have shortness of breath. Anemia can be caused by a variety of conditions and diseases.

anesthesiologist (an-es-the-zee-ol-o-jist)

A doctor who specializes in giving medicines or other agents that prevent or relieve pain, especially during surgery.

anorexia

The lack of desire for food; no appetite.

anterior

Located in the front, opposite the posterior

antibiotic

Drug used to kill organisms that cause disease. Since some cancer treatments can reduce your body's ability to fight infection, antibiotics may be used to treat or prevent (prophylactic) these infections.

antibody

A protein produced by immune system cells and released into the blood. Antibodies defend against foreign agents, such as bacteria. These agents contain certain substances called antigens. Each antibody works against a specific antigen.

anticoagulant

Drug that reduces the blood's ability to clot.

antiemetic (an-ti-eh-MEH-tik) (anti-nausea)

A drug that prevents or relieves nausea and vomiting, common side effects of chemotherapy.

antifungal

A medicine that kills fungi, organisms that cause infections. Kids undergoing treatment for cancer are especially vulnerable to fungal infections.

antigen (an-tuh-jen)

A substance that causes your body's immune system to react. This reaction often involves production of antibodies. For example, your immune system's response to antigens that are part of bacteria and viruses helps you resist infections. Cancer cells have certain antigens that can be found by laboratory tests. They are important in cancer diagnosis and in watching response to treatment.

antihistamine

A medicine used to relieve the symptoms of allergies like hives, stuffy nose, etc.

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antioxidants (an-ti-OX-uh-dents)

Compounds that hold back chemical reactions with oxygen (oxidation) and are thought to reduce the risk of some cancers. Examples are vitamins C and E and beta-carotene

artery

A vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the tissues. Blood is under pressure in arteries.

arterial blood gas (A.B.G.)

The amount of oxygen in your blood.

aspiration (as-pir-A-shun)

To draw out by suction.

autologous bone marrow transplant

When your own bone marrow is used.

audiogram

A diagnostic test that is done to evaluate your hearing.

auto syringe

A portable pump to administer medications subcutaneously or intravenously over several days. This allows you to be ambulatory.

axilla (ax-il-la)

Your armpit.

B

bacteria (singular bacterium)

A term for a group of living organisms, larger than viruses that may be seen only through a microscope. In general, most are harmless unless body resistance is lowered.

bands

Young, white blood cells; important in defending your body against infection.

benign

Not malignant or cancerous.

beta-carotene

An early form of vitamin A that is found mainly in yellow and orange vegetables and fruits. It functions as an antioxidant and may play a role in cancer prevention.

bilateral

Two sides of your body.

bile

A yellow-green fluid made by your liver from discarded red blood cells and excreted into the intestine where it helps to digest fat.

biopsy (buy-op-see)

The removal of a sample of tissue to see whether cancer cells are present and to determine an exact diagnosis. There are several kinds of biopsies.

blast cells

Refers to the earliest-formed marrow cells. In acute leukemias, blast cells are similar in appearance to normal blast cells but accumulate in large numbers.

blood

The body fluid that flows through all the vessels except the lymph vessels and performs a number of critical functions. Blood is composed of a liquid portion called plasma and three other components: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

blood chemistries

Multiple chemical determinations of the blood content. These tests are helpful in assessing your kidney and liver function.

blood count

A lab study to evaluate the amount of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

blood transfusion

The infusion of red blood cells or platelets into your blood stream to replace blood loss or to correct anemia.

blood typing and cross matching

Making sure that the blood from a donor is compatible with yours before a blood transfusion. Blood cells contain factors that are not the same in all people. Before a transfusion can be given, blood samples from the donor and you are typed, or classified according to which of these factors are present. The four principal red blood cell types or groups are A, B, AB or O. Other factors such as Rh factor must also be checked. (see the section on blood transfusions in "What Treatment Really Means")

bone marrow

The spongy material that fills the cavities of the bones and is the substance in which blood is produced. In order to determine the condition of the marrow, a doctor may take a small sample from one of the bones in the chest, hip, spine or leg. (See the section on bone marrow biopsies)

bone marrow aspiration and biopsy

A procedure in which a needle is placed into the cavity of a bone, usually the hip or breast bone, to remove a small amount of bone marrow for examination under a microscope.

bone marrow transplant (BMT)

A very rigorous treatment for cancer which severely injures or destroys the patient's bone marrow. You are given high doses of chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. The drugs also destroy the remaining bone marrow, thus robbing your body of its natural ability to fight infection. Total Body Radiation (TBI) is sometimes administered. § In allogeneic transplantation, bone marrow from another individual, usually a brother or sister with the same tissue type is given to the patient. This bone marrow develops in the patient and eventually begins producing blood cells. § In autologous bone marrow transplantation, some of your own bone marrow is removed and set aside before treatment and then re-infused. It starts producing blood cells a few weeks later. § In umbilical cord blood transplantation, the use of stem cells in blood removed from the umbilical cords of newborns (a very rich source) is used for transplantation.

bone scan

An imaging method that gives important information about the bones, including the location of cancer that may have spread to the bones. A low-dose radioactive substance is injected into a vein and pictures are taken to see where the radioactivity collects, pointing to an abnormality

bowel

Pertaining to your intestines.

brain scan

An imaging method used to find anything not normal in the brain, including brain cancer and cancer that has spread to the brain from other places in the body. A radioactive substance is injected into a vein and pictures are taken to show where the radioactivity collects, indicating an abnormality.

Broviac® catheter

Soft plastic catheters that are surgically placed in one of the neck veins and advanced to the opening of the heart in order to easily administer intravenous solutions and to obtain blood for testing.

 

"HICKMAN and/or BROVIAC are registered trademarks of C.R. Bard, Inc. and its related company, BCR, Inc."

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