Esophageal Cancer Glossary of Terms

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Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

Acquired: Not inherited, or present at birth (congenital), but developing after birth. For...

Adenocarcinoma: A cancer that develops in the lining or inner surface of an organ and usua...

Adjacent: Lying nearby. Related terms include superjacent, subjacent, and circumjacent. Fr...

Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness, dulling pain to permit s...

Barium: 1. A metallic element belonging to the alkaline earths with an atomic numbe...

Barium swallow: A test that involves filling the esophagus, stomach, and small intestines ...

Barrett esophagus: A complication of chronic severe gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)...

Barrett's esophagus: A complication of severe chronic GERD (gastrointestinal reflux dise...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Cancer symptoms: Abnormal sensations or conditions that persons can notice that are a resu...

Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs. Ex...

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

Chemotherapy: 1. In the original sense, a chemical that binds to and specifically k...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chest X-ray: A type of X-ray commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs. A chest X...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Digestive system: The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the bo...

Dysphagia: Difficulty swallowing. Dysphagia is due to abnormal nerve or muscle control. It...

Endoscope: A lighted optical instrument that is used to get a deep look inside the body. A...

Endoscopy: Examination of the inside of the body by using a lighted, flexible instrument c...

Epithelial: Relating to the epithelium.

Esophageal: Related to the esophagus.

Esophageal cancer: A malignant tumor of the esophagus. The risk of cancer of the esophagus...

Esophagus: The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lie...

Esophagus cancer: See: Esophageal cancer.

Gastric: Having to do with the stomach.

Gastroenterology: The medical specialty devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of d...

Gastroesophageal: Pertaining to both the stomach and the esophagus, as in the gastroesopha...

Gastroesophageal reflux: The return of stomach contents back up into the esophagus This fr...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heartburn: An uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth occurring in waves rising up be...

Imagery: Both a mental process (as in imagining) and a wide variety of procedures used in...

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

Insertion: A chromosome abnormality that is due to insertion of a segment from one chromos...

Laser: A powerful beam of light that is used in some types of surgery to cut or destroy ti...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Lymph: The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying cell...

Malignancy: A tumor that is malignant (cancerous), that can invade and destroy nearby tiss...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Muscular: Having to do with the muscles. Also, endowed with above average muscle developme...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Photodynamic therapy: A form of treatment that uses a photosensitizing agent, administered...

Precancerous: Pertaining to something that is not yet overtly cancerous, but appears to be...

Preoperative: Before surgery. As opposed to postoperative, after surgery.

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy ...

Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells, stopping them from ...

Radiotherapy: The treatment of disease with ionizing radiation. Also called radiation ther...

Reflex: An involuntary reaction. For example, the corneal reflex is the blink that occurs ...

Reflux: The term used when liquid backs up into the esophagus from the stomach.

Regurgitation: A backward flowing. For example, vomiting is a regurgitation of food from t...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Squamous cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in squamous cells -- thin, flat cells that loo...

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Stent: A tube designed to be inserted into a vessel or passageway to keep it open. Stents ...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Tobacco: A South American herb (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves contain 2 to 8 percent nic...

Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...