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Glossary
Abdomen:
Inside of the body below the chest; contains the digestive system, liver, spleen, kidneys, and female reproductive organs
Ablative therapy:
The use of high doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to completely destroy the body's ability to produce blood cells
Adenoids:
Glandular tissue found at the back of the nose that are associated with the lymphatic system
Alkylating agent:
An anticancer drug that interferes with cancer cell division by binding to DNA
Allogeneic:
A form of transplantation that uses tissue from a healthy donor
Alopecia:
Loss of hair; a common side effect of some chemotherapies
Analog:
A drug that differs slightly from the natural substance it mimics
Anaplastic:
Lacking normal cell differentiation
Anemia:
A shortage of hemoglobin within the blood
Anthracycline:
A group of anticancer drugs derived from fungi
Antibiotics:
Drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria
Antibody:
A protein produced by B cells that specifically recognizes and binds to foreign matter (antigen)
Antigen:
Foreign matter that provokes an immune response in the body it invades
Aplasia:
Failure of development of a tissue
Apoptosis:
A process whereby a cell causes its own breakdown (death)
Aspiration:
Withdrawing a substance via suction
Atypical:
Unusual
Autoantibodies:
Antibodies that bind to the patient's own tissue rather than to foreign protein
Autoimmune:
A condition where the immune system attacks some part of the body that it should not consider as foreign, eg, rheumatoid arthritis
Axillary:
Found in the armpit
Bacteria:
Very small (thousandths of a millimeter) organisms consisting of a single cell without an organized nucleus. They can be found by the billions
virtually anywhere in nature. Most are harmless, but some invade the body and cause infections such as meningitis and pneumonia
Benign:
Not cancerous
Bilateral:
Both sides
Biopsy:
Removal of a sample of tissue for examination
Blast:
A blast cell; blasts are immature blood cells; also known as formative cells
Blood:
A fluid that circulates throughout the body carrying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removes waste products such as carbon dioxide
Blood vessel:
Vein, artery, or capillary through which blood flows
Bone marrow transplant:
A procedure used to restore bone marrow that has been destroyed by anticancer treatment. Marrow is harvested from a donor (allogeneic transplant)
or from the patient (autologous) before the anticancer treatment, then injected intravenously into the recipient
B-symptoms:
Drenching night sweats, unexplained loss of 10% of body weight, marked weakness, and a fever of more than 38°C (100°F) lasting for more than a week
Cancer:
Disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells that invade surrounding tissues
CD:
Stands for "cluster of differentiation." Used with a number (eg, CD52) to name a specific antigenic marker found on lymphocytes
Cell:
Cells are the basic unit of life. Some organisms, such as bacteria, are just individual free-living cells. Other multicellular organisms, such as humans, have many different kinds of cells
Cell division:
The process by which cells multiply. They divide into two halves with each having a copy of the parent cell's DNA
Chemotherapy:
The use of drugs to treat cancers
Chromosomes:
Structures within a cell that carry genetic information in the form of DNA
Cisplatin:
Anticancer drug, based on platinum, that interacts with DNA
Cladribine:
An anticancer drug that belongs to the group of purine analogs
Clot:
A plug formed within a blood vessel to stop the loss of blood
CNS:
Central nervous system; consists of the brain and spinal cord
Colony-stimulating factor (CSF):
A type of protein known as a growth factor, which your body normally produces. CSFs stimulate your body to make more blood cells. CSFs such as GM-CSF are commonly used to reduce the incidence of infection in patients whose immune systems have been suppressed by anticancer treatment
Complement:
A group of proteins that play an important role in the immune response
Conditioning:
Treatment to prepare a patient for a bone marrow transplant
Core biopsy:
Sample of tissue taken with a wide-bore needle
Corticosteroid:
A drug that suppresses the immune system
CT:
Computed tomography; a medical imaging technique that uses X-rays to form very clear pictures of the inside of the body; the images appear as slices down the length of the body
Cutaneous:
Relating to the skin
Cycle:
A period of intensive chemotherapy
Cyclophosphamide:
An anticancer drug that belongs to the group of alkylating agents
Cyclosporin:
Drug given to prevent rejection of transplants
Cytochemistry:
Chemistry of the cell
Cytochrome:
A family of proteins involved with many functions, including energy production
Cytogenetics:
The study of genetic changes within cells
Cytokines:
Chemicals produced by one group of cells that affect the growth and function of other cells; also known as "growth factor"
Cytoplasm:
The fluid substance that surrounds the nucleus inside a cell
Cytotoxic:
Poisonous to cells
De novo:
From new; newly diagnosed
Dermis:
Lower layer of the skin
Diagnosis:
The determination of the nature of a disease through its signs and symptoms and the use of specific tests
Diaphragm:
Sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen
Differentiation:
Process of change in which stem cells divide and mature to form fully functioning specialized cells
Diffuse:
Widely and evenly spread
Disseminated:
Widely distributed
Distal:
Further away
DNA:
A chemical that is made up of a chain of smaller chemicals called nucleotides. There are 4 different kinds of nucleotides in DNA and the order in which they are arranged forms the genetic code. The nucleotides also form pairs opposite each other when they are arranged as a double helix in a chromosome
Donor:
A healthy person who donates tissue for transplantation into a patient
Doxorubicin:
An anticancer drug that belongs to the class of anthracyclines, which interferes with cell division by binding to DNA as it unwinds
Dystrophy:
Impaired growth of a tissue
Enzyme:
Protein that causes a specific chemical reaction to occur by binding onto the substance(s) that is to react—DNA polymerase causes nucleotides to join together in a chain
Epidemiology:
The study of the frequency, spread, and control of a disease in a population
Epidermis:
Outer layer of the skin
Epirubicin:
An anticancer drug of the anthracycline class
Epithelium:
The top layer of cells of skin and internal tissues
Erythematous:
Red flushing of the skin
Erythrocytes:
Red blood cells
Etiology:
The cause of a disease
Excision:
Cutting out
Exfoliative dermatitis:
A condition where the top layer of the skin is shed
Expression:
The production of proteins from a gene
Extracorporeal:
Outside the body
Extrapolate:
Project forward from existing data
Febrile:
Feverish
First-degree relatives:
Children, parents, brothers, and sisters
Flow cytometry:
Automated system for detecting the binding to cells of antibodies labeled with a fluorescent dye
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH):
A technique for determining cytogenetic changes in cancer cells
Fluorescent labeling:
Antibodies "labeled" with a dye that emits light when exposed to a laser
Follicle:
A small cavity; in a lymph node, they are areas of lymphocyte proliferation after antigen challenge
Follicle cell:
One of the special types of cells that make up a lymph node
Fungus:
Organisms, including yeast, that cause infections such as athlete's foot and thrush. They do not usually infect healthy people
Gamma camera:
Instrument that detect and measure radiation within the body
Gamma-globulins:
A group of large proteins that make up antibodies
Gastrectomy:
Removal of the stomach (total) or part of the stomach (partial)
Gastric:
Relating to the stomach
G-CSF:
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor—a cytokine that increases the growth of cells called granulocytes or neutrophils
Gene:
A portion of DNA that codes for a specific protein. Also describes the genetic factor that determines a given trait
GM-CSF:
Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; a cytokine (a type of protein referred to as a “growth factor”) that increases the growth of cells called granulocytes (or neutrophils) and monocytes/macrophages
Graft:
The material given to the recipient of a transplant
Graft-versus-tumor effect:
Effect whereby transplanted cells from a healthy donor destroy cancerous cells in the recipient
Half-life:
The time required for the amount of a drug in the bloodstream to be reduced by half
Helper cells:
T cells that help stimulate the immune response
Hematologist:
A doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood
Hematopoiesis:
Blood formation
Hemoglobin:
Red iron-containing protein found within red blood cells; binds oxygen for delivery throughout the body
Hemolytic:
A condition where large numbers of blood cells break down
Hepatomegaly:
Enlarged liver
Hepatosplenomegaly:
Enlarged spleen and liver
Histiocyte:
Study of tissues under a microscope
Histology:
The material given to the recipient of a transplant
Homogeneous:
Of uniform composition
Idiopathic:
Unknown cause
Immune deficiency:
A lack of the normal ability to fight infection
Immune system:
The organs and tissues responsible for fighting infection; identifies invading bacteria, viruses, and fungi as foreign matter and destroys them
Immunity:
The state of being immune, ie, resistant to, an infection because the body's immune system has been primed to fight it
Immunophenotyping:
A way of characterizing cells by the antibodies that they display on their surface
Immunosuppressive:
Treatment that reduces the effectiveness of the immune system
Immunotherapy:
Treatment using products related to the immune system
Incidence:
The number of people experiencing an event; more specifically, the number of new cases of a disease that occur every year as a proportion of the whole population, usually per 100,000 people
Infection:
Invasion of the body by a bacterium, virus, or fungus
Infiltration:
The spread of cancerous cells into other tissue
Interphase:
The stage of the nucleus between cell divisions
Interstitial:
Relating to the small spaces between tissues
Intrathecal:
Injection into the spine
Intravenous:
The delivery of a drug into the bloodstream via a vein
Isotope:
An element (eg, carbon or hydrogen) that exists in a different structural form
Jaundice:
Yellowing of the skin that is a sign of liver disease
Karyotype:
The set of chromosomes in a nucleus
Leukemia:
Cancer of blood-forming tissue; causes overproduction of white blood cells
Leukemogenic:
Causing leukemia
Leukocyte:
White blood cell
Liver:
Large organ situated at the top of the abdomen that has many important functions, especially with regard to the metabolism food and the breakdown of toxins
Lymph node:
Tissue within the lymphatic system where the lymph (a clear fluid that resembles blood plasma) is filtered to remove foreign material
Lymphadenopathy:
Abnormal swelling of a lymph node
Lymphatic system:
A network of tubes—like the blood system, but without a pump—that carries a fluid called lymph throughout the body
Lymphoblastosis:
Condition associated with an increase in the number of lymphoblasts
Lymphoblasts:
Immature cells that eventually develop into lymphocytes
Lymphocyte:
A family of white blood cell responsible for a properly functioning immune system
Lymphocytosis:
Abnormal number of lymphocytes circulating in the blood
Lymphoid:
Tissue associated with the lymphatic system, including tonsils and adenoids
Lymphoma:
Cancer that originates within the tissues of the lymphatic system
Lymphoproliferative:
Diseases of the immune system associated with an abnormal increase in the amount of lymphoid tissue
Lytic:
Breaking down
Macrophage:
Large white blood cell that scavenges for foreign matter
Malignant:
Cancerous growth, ie, one that invades surrounding tissue and spreads to other parts of the body
Mantle cell:
A special type of cell that makes up a lymph node
Maturation:
Development into a fully functioning cell
Median:
The middle value of a series of values. Of the series 1, 2, 3, 4, and 10, the median is 3, the average is 4.
Mediastinal:
Found in the space between the lungs in the chest
Membrane:
A thin sheet of tissue or the outer layer surrounding a cell
Memory cells:
Lymphocytes that store information on antigens previously encountered
Meta-analysis:
A statistical review of the results of several clinical trials
Metabolism:
All the chemical processes that take place in the body
Metastasis:
A secondary tumor formed when a cancer cell breaks off from the original site and implants in another location
Methotrexate:
A drug used to treat diseases associated with abnormally rapid cell growth such as cancer; also used to prevent transplant rejection because it suppresses the immune response
MHC:
Major histocompatibility complex; a group of molecules on the cell surface that act as markers, enabling the cell to be recognized by the immune system
Mitotic index:
Rate of cell division; an index that is used to determine the rate of cell growth
Mitoxantrone:
An anticancer drug that inhibits the growth of cancer cells; its activity is similar to that of anthracyclines
Monomorphic:
One shape
Monotherapy:
Chemotherapy with one drug
Morphology:
Shape
MRI:
Magnetic resonance imaging; a medical imaging technique that uses strong magnet fields and high-frequency radio waves to form very clear pictures of the inside of the body
Mucosa:
Also known as mucous membrane; the lining of cavities, such as the digestive tract, that produces a watery secretion as a lubricant
Multicenter:
A clinical trial conducted at more than one site
Mutation:
An alteration in the genetic material caused by a change to the sequence of the building blocks of DNA, the nucleotides
Myeloablative:
Causing the destruction of bone marrow
Neoplastic:
Cancerous
Neurological:
Relating to the nervous system
Neurotoxicity:
Toxic to nerves
Neutropenia:
Shortage of a type of white blood cell (neutrophil) that gives an indication of a patient's inability to resist infection
Neutrophil:
A type of white blood cell that plays an important role in resisting infection
NK cells:
Natural killer cells; a type of lymphocyte that recognizes and kills cells infected with a virus; can also kill tumor cells
Nodular:
Lumpy
Normochromic:
Containing the normal amount of hemoglobin
Normocytic:
Normal cells
Nucleolus:
A structure within the nucleus containing RNA
Nucleotides:
The chemical building blocks of DNA (deoxynucleotides) and RNA (ribonucleotides)
Nucleus:
The structure within a cell that contains the chromosomes
Numbness:
Lack of feeling
Oncogenic:
Cancer producing
Oncologist:
A doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer
Opportunistic:
Describes an infection in patients with a depressed immune system by an organism that does not normally cause disease
Oxygen:
A gas that makes up 20% of the atmosphere; plays an essential role in the body’s ability to produce energy from food
Palliative:
Treatment given for relief of symptoms
Pan-:
Covering all
Paraprotein:
Abnormal immunoglobulin produced during some leukemias
Pathologist:
A doctor who assists in the diagnosis and treatment of disease by studying samples of body tissues and fluid
Pentostatin:
An anticancer drug that belongs to the group of purine analogs
Phase II studies:
Early stage of clinical trials that tests the safety of a drug in humans
Phenotype:
The observable characteristics of an organism determined by its genetic makeup
Photochemotherapy:
Treatment with a combination of drugs and light
Plasma:
The liquid portion of the blood that remains the cells have been removed
Plasmapheresis:
A process that separates cells and unwanted proteins from plasma
Platelet:
Tiny blood cells that are important in blood clotting
Pleomorphic:
Occurring in multiple forms
PLL:
Prolymphocytic leukemia; a rare variant of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
Pluripotent:
The ability to affect a variety of tissues; also, the ability to form a variety of different cell types
Prevalence:
The number of cases of a disease that exist within a population as a proportion of it, usually per 100,000 people
Progenitor cells:
Cells that differentiate into specialized cells
Prognosis:
The assessment of the expected course of a disease
Proteins:
A basic building block of the body. As well as forming the structure of tissues such as muscle, they also act as enzymes, which catalyze the chemical processes of the body
Purging:
Removal of cancer cells from stem cells extracted from a cancer patient; the stem cells are ultimately re-implanted
Purine:
One of the chemical building blocks that make up the nucleotides that form DNA and RNA; included adenine and guanine
Purine analog:
An anticancer drug that interferes with cancer cell division and causes their death. The enzyme that is responsible for DNA replication tries to use the analog rather than the proper purine, and thus does not function correctly
Pyrimidine:
One of chemical building blocks that make up the nucleotides that form DNA and RNA; includes thymine, cytosine, and uracil
Radioactive:
A compound that emits radiation
Radioimmunotherapy:
Treatment using a radioactive isotope attached to a monoclonal antibody
Radiology:
The use of medical imaging techniques for diagnosis, such as X-ray, CT, ultrasound, or MRI
Radionuclide:
A radioactive element
Radiotherapy:
The use of radiation to kill cancer cells. X-rays and gamma-rays are the most commonly used forms
Rai:
The doctor who devised a staging system for lymphoma
Receptor:
Site on a cell surface that recognizes a particular molecule
Red blood cells (RBCs):
Cells that carry oxygen throughout the body; make up about half the volume of blood
Refractory:
A cancer that does not respond to particular treatment
Rejection:
The process whereby transplanted tissue is attacked by the recipient's immune system
Remission:
Reduction in the severity or temporary disappearance of a cancer
Renal:
Relating to the kidney
Replication:
The process of the copying of DNA that occurs during cell division. The two strands of DNA unwind and each strand is copied by an enzyme called DNA polymerase
Rescue:
Describes the process whereby patients who have received ablative therapy are "rescued" by a stem cell transplant
Resistant:
Describes an organism or cell type that is able to resist harmful influences. For example, some cancer cells can develop a resistance to a class of anticancer drugs
Response rate:
The proportion of patients in which a treatment has an effect. Responses can be partial or complete
Reticulocytes:
Immature red cells found in the blood
Reticulocytopenia:
Shortage of reticulocytes
RNA:
Similar to DNA, but composed of slightly different nucleotides. RNA is formed in the nucleus by reading the code sequence of the DNA. It then moves out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm where the code is read to make the proteins the cell requires to function
Salvage:
Therapy given to patients who failed to respond to or have relapsed after their initial therapy
sIg:
Surface antibody
Sign:
An indication of disease that a doctor recognizes and the patient does not
Sinus:
A cavity or channel in the body
Soft tissue:
Muscle and similar tissues
Spleen:
An organ located just below the liver that screens the blood for foreign particles and old blood cells
Splenectomy:
Removal of the spleen
Splenomegaly:
Enlarged spleen
Staging:
The use of a set of criteria, such as spread of disease, to decide how far a cancer has advanced so that the correct treatment can be offered
Stem cell (SC):
Cells that divide to produce the many types of cells within an organ. For blood cells, these are mostly found in the marrow, but some move into the blood
Suppressor:
T cells that regulate the immune response by inhibiting certain cellular activities
Surrogate marker:
A parameter that is measured to assess progression of a disease or outcome of a treatment that is only indirectly relevant to the patient's health. An example would be the number of cancerous cells in the patient's blood
Symptom:
An indication of disease that a patient reports
Synergy:
When the effect of 2 actions is greater than the sum of their individual contributions
T cell:
A type of lymphocyte produced in the thymus; T cells control many key functions of the immune system
Thrombocytopenia:
A shortage of platelets in the blood
Translocation:
Change in position of a length of genetic material within a chromosome
Transplant:
Replacement of an organ or tissue with one from a donor
Trephine:
An instrument with a hollow needle that is used to remove samples of bone marrow
Trisomy:
The presence in the nucleus of three copies of a chromosome instead of the usual two
Tumor:
An abnormal growth of solid tissue that may be malignant or benign
Ultrasound:
A technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to form an image of the inside of the body
Unilateral:
On one side
Vein:
Blood vessel that returns blood to the heart
Virus:
Particles made up of a shell of protein containing a core of DNA or RNA. They can only reproduce by taking over the mechanisms of a cell that they have infected. Viruses cause diseases such as mumps, colds, influenza, and chicken pox
White blood cell:
Leukocytes—cells found in the blood which do not contain hemoglobin; play an important role in defending the body by attacking invading organisms and other foreign material
WHO:
World Health Organization
