Chemotherapy Glossary of Terms

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Adjuvant: A substance that helps and enhances the effect of a drug, treatment, or biologic...

Adjuvant chemotherapy: Chemotherapy given after removal of a cancerous tumor to further he...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Belly: That part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and t...

Biological therapy: Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune (defense)...

Bone marrow: The soft blood-forming tissue that fills the cavities of bones and contains f...

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

Cancer care: Taking care of cancer. When cancer is suspected, a biopsy is usually performe...

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

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

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

Chemo: Slang for chemotherapy -- drug therapy for cancer.

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...

Clinical trial: A study that is intended to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of medic...

Clinical trials: Trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Disc: Shortened terminology for an intervertebral disc, a disk-shaped piece of specialized...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Hair loss: Hair loss is the thinning of hair on the scalp. The medical term for hair loss ...

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

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inpatient: A patient whose care requires a stay in a hospital. As opposed to an outpatient...

Intraperitoneal: Within the peritoneal cavity, the area that contains the abdominal organs...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

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...

Marrow: The bone marrow.

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...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Nurse: 1) A person trained, licensed, or skilled in nursing. 2) To feed an infant at the ...

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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

Palliative care: 1) Medical or comfort care that reduces the severity of a disease or slo...

Peritoneal: Having to do with the peritoneum.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

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 ...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Referral: The recommendation of a medical or paramedical professional. If you get a refer...

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

Soothing: Bringing comfort, solace, reassurance, peace, composure, quietude.

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

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

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

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

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

Thigh: The thick, muscular portion of the leg that extends from the hip to the knee. The t...

Toxicity: The degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. ...

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

Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...