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Cancerhelp - glossary Category: Health and Medicine > Cancer Date & country: 11/12/2007, UK Words: 1261

Tube Feeding
Feeding through a tube. Can be either a tube from the nose to the stomach (nasogastric tube), or a tube that goes directly into the stomach from the outside (gastrostomy tube).

Tuberculosis
Infectious disease.

Tumour
Another word for cancerous lump. 'Benign tumour' can be used to mean non-cancerous lump.

Tumour Flare
Temporary increase in symptoms from a cancer after starting treatment. Happens when prostate cancer is treated with Pituitary Downregulators if Anti-Androgens are not given for the first few weeks.

Tumour Necrosis Factor
(TNF) A type of biological therapy that is being used experimentally for some types of cancer. TNF is a naturally occuring substance produced by blood cells called macrophages and T cells. TNF naturally attacks tumour cells. When it is used as treatment, it is used in much larger quantities. We do not know whether these larger quantities will b…

Tumour Suppressor Genes
Genes which switch off cell multiplication. Tumour suppressor genes can mutate and then fail to switch off cell multiplication which contributes to a cancer forming.

Type of treatment
The cancer treatment the trial is testing, for example, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy etc.

Typhoid
Infectious disease. There are two types of vaccination for typhoid. You can have an injection of typhoid vaccine as it is not live. You should not have the oral vaccine as it is live.

Tyrosine Kinase
Tyrosine kinases are a group of chemical messengers (enzymes) produced by body cells. TKs are part of the cell signalling system that tells cells when to divide and grow. Genes that control tyrosine kinase can be abnormal in cancer cells. The abnormal TK then sends too many signals to the cancer cell telling it to grow. Drugs that block tyrosin…

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
A type of drug that blocks the effects of the enzyme tyrosine kinase

Ulcerative colitis
A disease of the bowel (colon) causing inflammation, pain, bleeding and watery diarrhoea. The disease is not really curable but tends to come and go. Having ulcerative colitis for more than 10 years increases the risk of bowel cancer, so doctors may suggest regular tests.

Ultrasound
(ultrasound scan, ultrasound scans) Scan using sound waves to build up a picture of the inside of the body. A gel is put on the skin and a microphone passed back and forth over the area to be scanned. A computer converts the reflected sound waves into a picture on a screen.

Ultraviolet
(UVA,UVB) Ultraviolet light is light that we cannot see. But it is an important part of sunlight. Ultraviolet light is divided into UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC cannot get through the ozone layer to reach us. But UVA and UVB can both increase the risk of skin cancer, including malignant melanoma. Sunbathing and using sun beds increases your skin's exposur…

Undescended testicle
A testicle which has not moved down into the scrotum, but has stayed inside the abdomen (tummy) after birth.

Undifferentiated
Very immature cells that are not specialised are called undifferentiated. If a cancer cell is completely undifferentiated, it may not be possible to tell what type of cell it originally was, and where in the body it is from.

Unsaturated fat
A type of fat found mainly in vegetables and vegetable oils. Unsaturated fat can be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Too much fat in the diet may increase the risk of some cancers. Current dietary advice is to cut down on all types of fat, but to eat unsaturated fats rather than saturated fats.

Uranium
Naturally occurring radioactive metal. Exposure to uranium is a very rare cause of lung cancer.

Ureter
(ureters) Tubes which carry urine from each kidney to the bladder.

Urethra
Tube which carries urine from the bladder to the outside of body.

Urgency
This term is used by health care staff to mean having very little warning of the need to either pass urine (urgency of micturition) or have your bowels open (frequency of defaecation). It means having to go to the toilet straight away.

Urinary system
The system of the body that removes waste products from the blood and makes urine. It includes the kidneys and bladder.

Urostomy
(ileal conduit) An opening onto the surface of the abdomen (tummy). It is used to drain urine after the bladder has been removed. A bag is worn over the opening to collect the urine. This operation is sometimes called an ileal conduit because a piece of small bowel (ileum) is usually used to carry the urine from the ureters to the opening.

Urostomy bag
(urostomy bags) A bag that is made to use with a urostomy. There are one piece and two piece types and many different designs. It may take a few tries to find the one that suits you. Your stoma nurse can help you find the right one.

Urothelium
The layer of cells that lines most of the urinary system, including the area at the centre of each kidney (known as the renal pelvis), the ureters and parts of the urethra.

Uterine cancer
Cancer of the womb.

Uterus
Womb

UTI
(urinary tract infection) Urinary tract infection - it means a urine or bladder infection.

Vaccination
(vaccinations) Giving a small amount of an inactivated or weakened form of a disease to give immunity against catching that disease. Some vaccines are live and should not be given to people having chemotherapy.

Vagina
Birth canal.

Vaginal dilators
(dilator, dilators) Penis-shaped plastic objects used to stretch the vagina after radiotherapy to the pelvic area or cervix. Can help to prevent the vagina becoming too narrow to have sex comfortably. Can also be used to prevent narrowing of the vagina after surgery that has caused nerve damage in that area.

Vaginal douche
(douching) Cleaning the inside of the vagina by rinsing with water. Sometimes suggested after radiotherapy to the vagina or cervix, to prevent infection.

Vaginal pack
Gauze wadding put into the vagina. May be used during internal radiotherapy to help keep the applicators holding the radioactive source in place. Also used to prevent bleeding after some types of gynecological surgery.

Vagus
A large and important nerve. The vagus nerve helps to control digestion by controlling the release of digestive juices. The vagus can be damaged during surgery to the digestive system, for example, gastrectomy (removal of the stomach).

Valsalva manoeuvre
A way of increasing the pressure in the abdomen. Used after bladder reconstruction to drain the 'new' bladder. You hold your breath, close your throat and try to breathe out. When you do this you automatically push down and the increase in pressure inside the abdomen pushes the urine out of the reconstructed bladder.

Vipoma
A rare type of endocrine tumour of the pancreas which secretes (makes and releases) abnormal amounts of a hormone called VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide).

Virus
(viruses) Type of organism that 'breeds' by getting into the cells of another organism. In doing this, they often cause disease. For example, flu is caused by a virus. Viruses are tiny and can only be seen under a microscope. Some viruses contribute to causing cancer by causing mutations in genes.

Vitamin A
An antioxidant vitamin found in oily fish, liver, kidney, dairy produce and eggs. Beta carotene is found in carrots, yellow vegetables and dark green vegetables and is converted to vitamin A in the body. Antioxidant vitamins may help prevent cancer by stopping damage to body cells.

Vitamin B12
A vitamin needed for the healthy growth of red blood cells. Found in meat (particularly liver, kidney and heart), eggs, fish, cheese and milk. If you have had your stomach removed (gastrectomy), you need B12 injections to stop you developing pernicious anaemia.

Vitamin C
An antioxidant vitamin found in many fruits and vegetables. Antioxidant vitamins may help prevent cancer by stopping damage to body cells. Your body can't store vitamin C. Make sure you eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day for a healthy, balanced diet.

Vitamin E
An antioxidant vitamin found in vegetable oils, cereals, nuts, green vegetables and eggs. Antioxidant vitamins may help prevent cancer by stopping damage to body cells. If you eat a balanced diet, you are unlikely to be short of vitamin E.

Vitamin K
A fat soluble vitamin which is important for blood clotting. If you have some types of liver or pancreatic disease you may need to have vitamin K injections.

Vitamins
Naturally occurring substances that are necessary for normal growth and keeping healthy. Vitamins must be included in small amounts in the diet because they cannot be made by the body.

Vocal cords
Two bands of muscle that form a 'V' shape inside the voice box (larynx). These vibrate together when air passes between them. The vibrations make the sound of your voice.

Vomiting
Being sick.

Wedge resection
An operation to remove a small V-shaped piece (wedge) of an organ. For example, you can have a wedge resection of the breast, lung or liver.

Wheezing
Noisy breathing. A wheeze is a sound typically made when breathing out. It is caused by the airways narrowing or being partly blocked with mucus (or a tumour). See

White blood cells
(white blood cell, white cells) Cells in the blood which fight infection and produce antibodies.

Whole cell vaccines
A vaccine that uses the whole cancer cell, not just a specific cell protein (antigen), to make the vaccine. The vaccine is made from a patient's own cancer cells, another person's cancer cells or cancer cells grown in the laboratory.

Wound drain
(drain, drainage tubes) Tube used to drain off the fluid which collects at the site of an operation. The tube comes out of the body close to the wound. Sometimes wound drains are attached to gentle suction to help the drainage.

Xenylamine
Chemical which has been found to cause bladder cancer.

Xerodema pigmentosum
A rare inherited disease that increases your sensitivity to sunlight and so increases the risk of developing skin cancer.

Yew tree
Type of tree that the chemotherapy drugs Taxol and Taxotere are made from.

B cell lymphoma
A cancer of the lymphatic system where the cells that have become cancerous are a type of white blood cell called B lymphocytes.

B lymphocytes
(B cells) A type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes make up a quarter to a third of the white blood cells. There are two types of lymphocytes, B and T cells. The B lymphocytes make antibodies in response to disease or any cells the body recognises as foreign or damaged. This is part of the immune response. A cancer of the B lymphocytes is called…

B symptoms
A group of symptoms which doctors use to stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The B symptoms are unexplained high temperatures, heavy sweating at night and weight loss (losing at least 10% of total body weight).

G-CSF
Stands for granulocyte colony stimulating factor. A growth factor in the body which encourages the bone marrow to make white blood cells.

p53
A tumour supressor gene that, when working normally, helps to stop cells becoming cancerous. The p53 gene has been found to be damaged in most human cancers.

T Cell Lymphoma
A cancer of the lymphatic system where the cells that have become cancerous are a type of white blood cell called T Lymphocytes.

T Lymphocytes
(T cells) Type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes make up a quarter to a third of the white blood cells. Then there are two types of lymphocytes, B and T cells. The T lymphocytes help the B cells make antibodies as part of the immune response. A cancer of the T lymphocytes is called a T cell lymphoma.

T Test
Statistical test that helps to show if there is a real difference between different treatments being tested in a controlled clinical trial.

X-ray
Form of radiation used for taking pictures or for radiotherapy. Also commonly used to mean X-ray pictures.