Adenocarcinoma: A cancer starring in glandular tissue.
Adjuvant therapy: A secondary treatment which usually follows surgery and involves chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Adrenalectomy: Removal of adrenal glands.
Adrenal glands: Two triangular endocrin c glands, each of which covers the upper surface of a kidney.
Aerosol Tiniest: particles of chemical suspended in air or gas inhaled from an inhaler.
Aflatoxin: A chemical derived from a fungus called Aspergillus, capable of causing liver cancer.
Alkalating: agents Chemicals that interfere with nucleic acid formation in the cells and thus prevent cells from multiplying, particularly in cases of cancer.
Amenorrhoea: Loss of normal menstruation.
Anaemia: Lack of red cells or haemoglobin in the blood.
Analgesics: Pain-relieving drugs.
Androgen: A male hormone.
Anti-metabolites: Anti-cancer drugs which interfere with the metabolism of cancer cells, and do not allow them to multiply.
Aromatic Amine: A chemical substance derived from petroleum products, said to be capable of causing cancer.
Ascitic fluid: Fluid that collects in the peritoneum in the abdomen. This may be due to tuberculosis, as well as other diseases including cancer.
Aspirate Fluid: sucked off with a syringe from anywhere in the body.
Benign: A term used to describe a tumour or tissue which is not cancerous, and which does not spread.
Bentu miners: Coal-miners of black race, belonging to a particular tribe in South Africa.
Benz(a) pyrene: A chemical substance produced after burning of petroleum products. It is said to be capable of producing cancer.
Bleeding time: Time taken after a slight cut in the skin stops bleeding. Low platelet count increases bleeding time.
Blood count: The number of red cells, white cells and platelets in a blood sample.
Bone marrow: Spongy tissue in the middle of bones that makes blood cells.
Bone marrow transplantation: Taking the bone marrow fluid from a donor and injecting it into the blood of a recepient. This is done in cases of leukaemia after selection of the donor. The bone marrow cells of a proper donor take root in the recipient and start producing new healthy line of blood cells.
Bronchoscopy Examination: of air passages with a metallic or flexible instrument called a bronchoscope.
Burkitt’s lympoma: A lymphoma described by a European doctor named Burkitt while he was working in Africa.
Carcinogen: A substance that can cause or help cause cancer.
Carcinoma: A cancer that develops from cells called epithelial cells. These cells are present in the skin, lungs, glands, gastro-intestinal tract, and urinary tract. Cancers that develop in these sites are called carcinomas and arc the commonest type of cancer.
Catecolamines: A special type of protcinous substance secreted by the adrenal glands and similar other cells in the body, which helps in regulating the functions of the body.
CAT scan: A computerized X-ray system that givesvery dear pictures.
Cell: The cell is the basic unit of all living things or organisms.
Cervical smear: Smear made on a glass slide from the surface of the cervix of the uterus.
Chemotherapy: It is the treatment of cancer by means of drugs.
Clotting time: Time taken by the blood outside the body to change from a liquid state to a gelatinous one.
Clubbing: of the finger nails The nails over the fingers and also the toes become curved like the beak of a parrot. The terminal phalanx also becomes swollen and bulbous. This happens in many cases of lung cancer and some other non-cancer diseases also.
Colicky pain: Severe pain which increases in spasms.
Colon: It is a part of the large intestine.
Colonoscopy: The use of a flexible instrument to examine the entire large bowel.
Cyst: A closed cavity or sac that contains liquid or a semi-solid material.
Dibenzanthracene: A chemical substance produced after burning of petroleum like products and also incomplete burning of tobacco. It is said to be capable of producing cancer.
Diethylstilbestrol: A compound of female sex hormone.
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid: the genetic material inside the nucleus of the cell which controls the cell’s growth, division and function.
DLC: Different leukocyte count.
Duodenum: The first part of the small intestine.
Dysuria: Pain on passing urine.
Electroencephalogram: Recording as waves, the minute quantity of electricity generated in the brain on its different surfaces.
Endocrine glands: Glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream; examples are thyroid and pancreas.
Endoscopy: The use of a hollow instrument to examine the inside of different parts of the body.
Ependymoma: A cerebral or brain tumour derived from the glial (non-nervous) cells living the cavities of the brain.
Enzymes Secretions: of the special cells of the body, as for example of gastro-intestinal tract for digestion of food materials.
Epidedymitis Inflammation: of the epidedymus part of the testes.
Epidemiology: Study of geographical distribution of disease.
Epithelium: It is the lining that covers the internal and external surfaces of the body.
ESR: Erythrocyte (red blood cell) sedimentation rate. These cells in an unclotted blood settle at a particular rate in a particular time say, one hour. Rapid sedimentation rate indicates an inflammatory condition of the body or even a cancer.
Frozen section: A rapid way of examining a biopsy to see if it contains cancer; the result is available straightaway so that a suitable operation can be planned.
Gastroenterology clinic: A clinic where diseases of the stomach and intestine are investigated and treated as a speciality.
Gastroscopy: Use of a flexible lighted instrument, which is swollowed to examine the inside of the stomach and the upper part of the small bowel.
Genetic: Inherited.
Gonadotrophin: A hormone normally secreted by the pituitary gland which stimulates the functions of the sex glands.
Granulocytopaenia: Diminished counts of granulocyte (a type of white cells) in the blood.
Haematuria: Blood in the urine.
Hb: Haemoglobin.
Hepatitis-B virus: A virus transmitted through the blood, causing inflammation of the liver and its consequences.
Histology: Study of tissues to diagnose disease.
Hodgkin: An European doctor who first diagnosed and described the lymphoma now called after his name as Hodgkin’s disease.
Hormone: A chemical substance secreted in the blood from the endocrine or hormonal glands, like insulin from pancreas or adrenaline from adrenal glands.
Hydrocele: Collection of fluid in the double-lined covering over the testes; the testes looks as if swollen.
Hypernephroma: A cancer of the kidney occurring in adults.
Hypertrophy: Increased growth of a tissue or an organ.
Hysterectomy: Removal of the uterus by surgical operation.
Ileostomy: An artificial opening between the small bowel (ileum) and the abdominal wall so that stool can be collected there in a bag.
Ileum: Last part of the small intestine in the abdomen.
Immuno: Surveillance by lymphocytes and other surveillance cells in the blood, which destroy any cell or material which they consider as foreign and detrimental to the survival of the body.
In situ cancer: The earliest stage of a cancer where it is localized just where it started.
Laparotomy: An exploratory abdominal operation.
Laryngectomy: Surgical removal of the larynx.
Laryngoscopy: Examination of mc larynx usmg a mirror.
Linear accelerator: A type of radiation therapy machine producing a very high energy radiation.
Lumber puncture: Puncture of the coverings of the spinal cord in the spinal column in the lumber area to collect a small quantity of cerebrospinal fluid for examination.
Lymph nodes: Nodules of tissue in the lymph channels that make lymphocytes and filter out unwanted substances.
Lymphatic system: Circulatory network of lymph-carrying vessels and the lymph nodes.
Malignant: A tumour which is cancerous and will spread with fatal results if not removed.
Mastectomy: An operation to surgically remove a breast having cancer.
Mediastinum: An area in the middle of the chest containing the heart, major blood vessels, etc.
Medulla: The inner region of any organ or tissue.
Menopause: Cessation of menstruation.
Mesothelioma: A type of cancer of the pleura.
Metastasis: Spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. The new area of cancer is a metastasis or secondary.
Mid-stream urine specimen: A specimen of urine taken in a sterile container a little after the start of micturition, after having cleaned the local area. This is used for urine culture.
Morbidity: The symptoms or effects of a disease or its treatment.
Mortality rate: The death rate.
Mustard gas: A nervous system toxic gas, from which was derived the first anti-cancer drug, nitrogen mustard.
Mutation: A permanent change in the genetic material, DNA.
Narcotics Drugs: which can lead to unconsciousness.
Nepherectomy Surgical: removal of the kidney.
Nodule: A small swelling or aggregation of cells.
Eesophagus: Food pipe.
Ostomy: An artificial opening between an organ and the surface of the abdominal wall.
Palliative treatment: Treatment aimed at making a person feel better when cure is not possible.
Palpate: To feel by hand.
Pap-smear: A scrapping of cells from the cervix of the uterus for examination under a microscope.
Pathology: A branch of medicine concerned with the examination of diseased tissues.
Perfusion: scanning of the lung – Making visible the channels in which the blood flows in the lungs. This is done by injecting into pulmonary circulation a radioactive substance which is then monitored.
Placebo: An inert substance used in controlled trials to sec if a treatment is better than no treatment at all.
Platelets: Kind of cells in the blood that help it to dot.
Polycyclic: aromatic hydrocarbons Chemical substances related to petroleum products and also produced by incomplete burning of tabacco, said to be capable of causing cancer.
Polyp: A benign outgrowth of tissue.
Post-menopausal: Events that occur in the body after the cessation of the menstrual cydes, around the age of 45 years in women.
Primary cancer: A cancer present at the site in which it originated.
Prevalence: The total number of cases at any one time in a given area.
Prognosis: A prediction of the likdy course of a disease.
Prophylactic Treatment: designed to prevent a disease.
Radical gastrectomy: A surgical operation in which the whole or a part of the stomach, and also the locally draining lymph glands arc removed.
Radical mastectomy: An extensive surgical operation of the breast which removes some of the muscles of the chest wall also.
Radioactive substances: Substances that emit X-ray, etc.
Radioisotope: An atom of a metal having more or less electrons in it, which makes it unstable to exist in that state for long.
Radiosensitive: A cancer that shrinks or can be eradicated by a dose of radiation that is tolerated by nearby tissues.
RBC: Red blood cells
Relapse: The regrowth of a cancer after it has been removed or has responded to treatment.
Remission: Shrinkage of a tumour.
Retinoblastoma: A rare malignant tumour of the retina, occurring in infants. A retina in the light sensitive layer that lines the interior of the eye.
Roentgen: A German doctor who discovered X-rays in 1895.
Sarcoma: Cancers that develop in the body’s supporting tissues like bone, cartilegc, musde, fat, tendons.
Solar radiation: Rays from the sun, some of which can cause cancer of the skin.
Stomatitis: Inflammation or soreness of the mouth.
Susruta: Ancient (600 BC) Indian surgeon who performed many skillful operations; Susruta Samhita is said to be composed by him.
Terminal care: Care of the patient when it is more or less certain that he will not survive much longer.
Tissue: A collection or mass of cells of one kind, such as of muscular tissue, nervous tissue, connective tissue, etc.
Thrombocytopeina: A reduction in the number of platelets in the blood.
TLC: Total leukocyte count.
Tomogram: X-ray of the chest taken with a special technique so that it shows the sharpest at a particular depth.
Tumour marker: Biochemical substances produced by the tumour cells and poured in the blood, detection of which can help in diagnosing and following up the progress of the tumour.
Ultrasound: Sound waves of a frequency which are beyond hearing.
Urostomy: Artificial opening on the abdominal wall for passing out urine.
Ventilation: scanning of the lung Making visible the gas-containing parts of the lung. This is done by making the person inhale a radioactive gas, which can be monitored from over the lung.