Glossary

What does THAT mean?

(a modest guide to cancer talk)

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.

Definitions derived from Stedman's Medical Dictionary (25th edition), Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary (27th edition), and Biology textbook (2nd Edition)..