Sometimes we hear a new term in a discussion and, although we don't know
what it means, we are reluctant to stop the conversation and ask for a
definition. Usually we rely on context to help us figure out the meaning, but
often we end up with a just vague idea of the term's definition, and if we
forget to look the word up in a dictionary, we could misinterpret and misuse the
word, causing confusion in other people as well as ourselves.
In this corner, we will be bringing the reader a listing of terms used in "cancer
news," which we hope will assist in remedying the situation. This listing
will be updated each issue, and every so often we will spotlight a featured term
where we describe the word in greater detail to add to your inventory of cancer
lore.
| TERM | DEFINITION |
| acral | Pertaining to the hands and feet. |
| adjuvant | Assisting
or aiding. |
| analgesic | An agent
that alleviates pain without causing loss of consciousness. |
| atrophy | A wasting
away; a diminution in the size of a cell, tissue, organ, or part. |
| autogenous | Self-generated, self-produced; originating within an organism itself. Synonym: autologous.
|
| autosomal | Relating to a chromosome other than a sex chromosome.
|
| biopsy | Process
of removing tissue from living patients for diagnostic examination; a specimen
obtained by this process.
|
| carcinoma | Any of the various types of malignant neoplasm derived from epithelial tissue in several sites, including but not limited to the skin, large intestine, the bronchi, and the breast.
|
| de novo | Again; anew.
|
| desmoids | Desmoid tumor: abdominal occurrence of multiple benign neoplasms derived from fibrous connective tissue.
|
| dysplastic | Relating to abnormal development of tissues, organs, or cells.
|
| epithelial tissue | Also called epithelium. Consists of cells fitted tightly together, forming a continuous layer or sheet of cells covering a body surface or lining a cavity within the body, e.g., skin. Epithelial tissues function in protection, absorption, secretion, or sensation.
|
| excisional | Relating to a surgical removal of body tissue.
|
| fascia | Sheet of connective tissue covering or binding together body structures.
|
| fovea | The region in the center of the macula.
|
| histological | Pertaining to the science concerned with the minute structure of the cells, tissues, and organs in relation to their function.
|
| incisional | Relating to a cut of body tissue.
|
| in situ | In the original position.
|
| lentiginous | Relating to a nevus or freckle.
|
| lentigo maligna | Pre-cancerous lesion on the skin.
|
| lymphadenectomy | Surgical removal of a lymph node.
|
| macula | The central portion of the retina directly opposite the lens is called the macula. It is rich in cones, the cells which enable us to see fine detail and color. |
| metastasis | The
spread of a disease process from one part of the body to another, as in the
appearance of neoplasms in parts of the body remote from the site of the primary
tumor.
|
| modality
| A form of application or employment of a therapeutic
agent or regimen.
|
| morbidity | A
diseased state.
|
| mortality | A fatal
outcome.
|
| neoplasm | New
growth; tumor.
|
| nevus | (pl. nevi) Congenital pigmented area on skin such as a mole or birthmark; tumor made up primarily of blood vessels.
|
| oncology | The
study or science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biologic properties
and features of neoplasms, including causation, pathogenesis, and treatment.
|
| opioid | Any synthetic narcotic
that has opiate-like activities but is not derived from opium.
|
| orthopedic | Relating to the medical specialty concerned with the preservation, restoration, and development of form and function of the muscoskeletal system, extremities, spine, and associated structures.
|
| pathologic | Morbid or diseased; resulting from disease; pertaining to structural and functional changes that result from the disease process.
|
| pathophysiological | Pertaining
to the alteration in function as distinguished from structural defects, the
physiology of disordered function.
|
| pigmentation | Coloration, either normal or pathologic, of the skin or tissues resulting from a deposit of pigment.
|
| primary | The first or foremost disease to which others may be secondary or occur as
complications. A patient may have more than one primary.
|
| prophylactic | Preventative.
|
| sepsis | The
presence of various pus-forming and other pathogenic [disease causing]
organisms, or their toxins, in the blood or tissues.
|
| tolerance | A
decreasing response to repeated constant doses of a drug or the need for
increasing doses to maintain a constant response.
|
| transcutaneous |
Transdermal; entering through the skin, as in administration of a drug applied
to the skin in ointment or patch form.
|
| visceral |
Located on or among the internal organs.
|
