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

Endorphin
A painkilling substance (similar to opioids) made by the body in response to pain.

Endoscopy
An examination of the inside of the digestive system. Usually used to look at the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum and gall bladder. See Digestive system.

Enema
Putting liquid into the rectum (back passage) to clear it out.

Enlarged glands
(enlarged lymph node, enlarged lymph nodes, swollen lymph node, swollen lymph nodes) Lymph glands which are bigger than they should be. This can happen for a number of reasons, only one of which is that they contain cancer cells.

Enterochromaffin cells
These cells are in the lining of the gut. They make and store the hormone serotonin.

Enucleation
Means surgery to remove the eyeball. This is done when there is a cancer growing inside the eye. But is very rare.

Enzyme
(enzymes) Enzymes are proteins that control chemical reactions in the body. For example, the digestive enzymes help food to be broken down so it can be absorbed.

Ependymoma
A type of brain tumour. Rare type of glioma. Affects the ependymal cells of the brain and can occur anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. Most often found in the main part of the brain (cerebrum).

Epic
(European prospective investigation into cancer) A Europe-wide research study looking into the effects of diet on health and the development of cancer. The study is recording the diets of thousands of people throughout Europe, and following them through life to see what diseases they later develop. This study may help to prove a relationship betwee…

Epidermal growth factor
(EGF) A protein that sends signals to cells, telling them when to grow and divide

Epidermis
The outermost layer of the skin. It is made up of 5 layers. The deepest of these contains the cells that divide to form all the cells and layers above it.

Epididymis
Coiled tube lying on top of the testicle which collects sperm from the collecting tubules and carries it out of the testicle.

Epidural
Given into the spinal fluid. An epidural anaesthetic is an anaesthetic given into the spinal fluid. Some cancer drugs are given this way.

Epiglottis
A part of the voice box (larynx). It is a flap of hard tissue (cartilage) that protects your airway by stopping food, drinks and saliva going into your lungs.

Epirubicin
An anti-cancer drug (chemotherapy) .

Epithelial tissue
The skin tissue that covers the outside and inside of the body. It covers all the body organs and lines all the tubes and cavities of the body. Cancers of epithelial tissue are called carcinomas.

Erection
Stiffening of the penis when sexually aroused.

Ewing's sarcoma
A type of primary bone cancer. It is most often diagnosed in teenagers or young adults.

Excision biopsy
An operation to remove a lump so that it can be looked at under the microscope.

Existing treatment
Accepted treatment that is being used at the moment. This may be what a new treatment is compared to in a trial.

Exit site
When radiotherapy is given, the radiation passes through the body. The place where it comes out is called the exit site. The skin here can become sensitive during the treatment period.

Exocrine
(exocrine glands) Glands that secrete (make and release) enzymes through a duct (tube). For example, the exocrine gland cells in the pancreas secrete pancreatic digestive enzymes through the pancreatic duct into the duodenum.

Experimental group
In research, a group of patients who are having the treatment being tested in a trial.

Extended cholecystectomy
An operation to remove the gall bladder, about 2.5 cm of liver tissue near the gallbladder and all the lymph nodes near and around the gall bladder. It may also be called open cholecystectomy.

Extensive disease
Term used by doctors to mean cancer that is widespread within the body or within a particular organ of the body. For example, with small cell lung cancer of the lung, extensive disease is lung cancer that has spread to the chest or to other parts of the body.

External radiotherapy
Treatment with high energy waves which are aimed at a cancer (or the area where a cancer was) from outside the body.

Extraocular
Means outside the eyeball. If a cancer that has started in the eye is called extraocular, it means it has spread outside the eyeball itself to the optic nerve or eye socket.

Extrapleural pneumonectomy
An operation to remove the lung, the tissues that cover it (the pleura), part of the diaphragm and the tissue covering the heart (the pericardium). This operation is sometimes used to treat mesothelioma.

Faecal occult blood test
(stool test) A test that can pick up tiny traces of blood in the faeces (stool, bowel motion). It is not completely reliable, as some foods and drinks can cause a false positive result. It may also sometimes give a negative result when there is actually a cancer present. Is used as part of the UK national bowel screening programme.

Faeces
(bowel motion, bowel motions, stool, stools) Waste matter from digested food that is passed out of the bowel through the rectum (back passage).

Fallopian tube
(fallopian tubes) Tubes that connect the ovaries to the womb. They carry the egg released from one of the ovaries each month to the womb. Cancer of the fallopian tube is very rare.

False negative
In screening, this means a negative test for a disease when a person has the disease. A potential screening test that produces too many false negative results cannot be widely used.

False positive
In screening, this means a positive test for a disease when the person doesn't have the disease. This means that the person has to have further tests that they don't need. The tests may cause side effects. A potential screening test that produces too many false positive results cannot be widely used.

Familial
A familial condition runs in the family. This is different to an inherited condition, which is one that is definitely passed on by a particular gene. A familial condition shows up more often in a particular family, but not everyone gets it and there is no known single inherited gene.

Familial adenomatous polyposis
(FAP) A rare disease that causes lots of benign polyps (small growths that are not cancerous) to grow in the bowel. It is caused by a faulty inherited gene. People with FAP have an increased risk of getting bowel cancer.

Familial ovarian cancer registry
A register of families that have several cases of ovarian cancer. Researchers use this information to look into heredity and ovarian cancer.

Family history
A record of the health issues in relatives to see whether any diseases run in the family.

FAMTX
A combination chemotherapy regime including three drugs: doxorubicin (adriamycin), methotrexate and 5FU.

Fatigue
An extreme feeling of tiredness and lack of energy.

Female hormones
Sex hormones found in women, which control fertility and regulate periods - for example, oestrogen and progesterone.

FEMTX
A combination chemotherapy regime including three drugs: epirubicin, methotrexate and 5FU.

Femur
The bone that runs from the hip to the knee - the thigh bone.

Feng shui
(Pronounced fung shway.) The art and science of understanding the forces and energy of nature to live in harmony with the environment. This influences us in a positive way and promotes health, wellbeing and success. The aim is to live in harmony with the world by promoting the flow of positive energy and neutralising or avoiding negative or dest…

Fentanyl
A painkiller. Is sometimes used in cancer care. The drug can be given by injection or as a patch stuck onto the skin.

Fertility
The ability to have children.

Fertility drugs
Drugs given to women to make the ovaries produce more than one egg at a time. These drugs are used during fertility treatment.

Fever
(fevers) An abnormally high body temperature. Usually taken to mean a temperature above 38oC or 98.4oF.

Fibre
Eating plenty of fibre in your diet helps to keep your bowels working regularly and gives you some nutrients. There is fibre in wholegrain cereals, rice and pasta; wholemeal bread and flour; fruit and vegetables; beans, pulses and lentils.

Fibre optics
Cables filled with very thin fibres that carry light. Can be used to look at the inside of the body and take pictures if needed.

Fibroadenoma
Fibrous lump found in the breast which is not cancer.

Fibroblasts
Body cells that develop into bone, cartilage and collagen cells.

Fibrocytes
A type of fibrous tissue cell. The fibrous tissues are amongst the connective tissues of the body. Cancers of the connective tissues are called sarcomas.

Fibroids
Benign (non-cancerous) growths in the womb. Fibroids can cause raised CA125 levels in the blood.

Fibrosarcoma
A type of cancer that develops from fibrous tissue cells called fibrocytes. This is a type of primary bone cancer - one of a group of tumours called spindle cell sarcomas.

Fibrosis
An abnormal increase in fibrous tissue in a part of the body. Occurs as a side effect of radiotherapy. Makes the affected tissue less stretchy.

FIGO
Stands for Federation of International Gynaecological Oncologists. The FIGO staging system is the most commonly used staging system for ovarian cancer.

Fine needle aspiration
(fine needle, FNA) A type of biopsy where a very thin needle is put into a lump or a lymph gland, and a sample of fluid and cells is sucked out. The cells are looked at under a microscope to see if they are cancerous.

First degree relative
A first degree relative is your parent, brother or sister, or your child. Half their genes are the same as yours. This only applies to blood relatives.

First line treatment
This is the first course of treatment you have when diagnosed with cancer or after the cancer has come back (recurred).

Fistula
An abnormal opening between two parts of the body.

Five year survival
The proportion (percentage) of people with a particular type of cancer who are still alive 5 years after the cancer was first diagnosed.

Flexible laryngoscopy
A test to examine your upper airways and voice box. A tube is put up your nose and down into your throat. The tube contains a light and a camera so your doctor can see inside.

Fluorouracil
(5 fluorouracil, 5-FU, 5FU) An anti-cancer drug (chemotherapy).

Flutamide
(Drogenil) An anti-androgen drug - taken as a tablet. Stops the testicles from producing testosterone (the male sex hormone).

FNA
FNA stands for fine needle aspiration. A type of biopsy where a very thin needle is put into a lump or a lymph gland, and a sample of fluid and cells is sucked out. The cells are looked at under a microscope to see if they are cancerous.

Folic acid
One of the B vitamins. It is necessary for the healthy development of red blood cells.

Folinic acid
Adrug used to treat bowel cancer. It is actually a vitamin. It is given along with 5-Fluorouracil (chemotherapy) after surgery because it is thought that it may make the chemotherapy work better.

Follicular large cell
A type of lymphoma. The lymphocytes look large under the microscope and are grouped together. This is an intermediate grade lymphoma.

Follicular mixed cell
A type of lymphoma. It is made up of both small and large lymphocytes and they are grouped together. This is a low grade type of lymphoma.

Follicular small cleaved
A type of lymphoma. The lymphocytes look small under the microscope and are partly split (cleaved). They are grouped together rather than spread out. This is a low grade type of lymphoma.

Follicular type
A type of lymphoma. Lymphoma can be diffuse or follicular (sometimes called nodular). In follicular types, under the microscope the cells appear grouped together. In diffuse type they are more spread out. Follicular lymphomas are usually B cell lymphomas

Follow up
Medical appointment to monitor progress after treatment.

Food diary
Detailed record of what you have eaten and drunk over a period of time. You also record any diet related symptoms such as indigestion or wind when they occur. The aim is to find out which foods or drinks are upsetting your digestion.

Food supplements
(Build Up, Complan, high calorie drinks) Extra nutrition (food) usually in the form of high energy and high protein drinks. These are available on prescription or can be bought from your chemist. There are a number of different brands, for example Build Up, Complan and Fresubin.

Formaldehyde
A chemical used in the chemical industry as a disinfectant and in medical laboratories to preserve specimens. It has been linked with some types of cancer, including malignant melanoma.

Fraction
One session in a course of radiotherapy. To reduce side effects, the total radiotherapy dose is divided into a number of smaller daily doses called fractions.

Fracture
A break or crack in a bone.

Frequency
How often something happens. In the medical world it is also often used to refer to having to pass urine or bowel movements more often than normal.

Fundus
The main part of the stomach. It is also called the body of the stomach.

Gallbladder
Small sack by the liver. Bile is stored here before it is released into the gut to help digest fats. The gallbladder is connected to the gut by the bile duct.

Gallstone
Hard lumps that form in the gall bladder. They can cause irritation and inflammation and are made of bile, cholesterol and calcium salts.

Gamma camera
Special type of camera that takes pictures of radiation given off from the body. Used to produce bone scans and other types of scans.

Gastrectomy
Operation to remove all or part of the stomach. Removing the whole stomach is a total gastrectomy. Removing part of it is a partial gastrectomy.

Gastrin
A hormone that stimulates the stomach to release digestive juices.

Gastrinoma
A rare type of endocrine tumour of the pancreas. It makes and releases (secretes) abnormal amounts of gastrin - a digestive hormone.

Gastritis
Inflammation of the stomach lining. Causes pain and indigestion symptoms and sometimes nausea (sickness) and vomiting. Chronic gastritis can increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Gastro intestinal cancer
Cancer of the stomach or bowel.

Gastro oesophageal junction
The part of the body where the food pipe (oesophagus) connects to the stomach.

Gastroenterologist
A doctor who specialises in diseases of the digestive system.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumour
(GIST) Also known as GI stromal sarcoma. A cancer that develops from the cells that make up the supporting framework (the stroma) of the organs of the digestive system (the gastrointestinal tract).

Gastrojejunostomy
An operation to bypass a blockage of the stomach or duodenum, by joining part of the stomach to the upper part of the small bowel (the jejunum).

Geiger counter
A machine that measures the amount of radiation around it. Makes a clicking sound to show how much radiation there is.

Gemcitabine
(Gemzar) An anti-cancer drug (chemotherapy).

Gene
(genes) Coded messages that tell cells how to behave. They control growth and development of the body. Genes are made of DNA and grouped together to form chromosomes. Different human chromosomes have different numbers of genes - most have between 1 to 2 thousand genes per chromosome.

Gene therapy
(molecular therapy) Treating cancer by repairing gene damage, or blocking the proteins that damaged genes make.

Genetic
(genetics) Related to genes. Genetic treatments are treatments that use genes. If a condition is called 'genetic' it means it is caused by a fault in one or more genes and may have been inherited.

Genetic predisposition
If you have a 'genetic predisposition' to cancer, you are more likely to develop it than the average person. This is due to the genes you inherited from your parents.

Genital wart virus
(genital warts, HPV, human papilloma virus, warts, wart virus) A virus which causes warts on the genitals. Certain types of this virus have been associated with cancer of the cervix.

Genitals
The external sexual organs such as the penis and vagina.

Germ cell
Cell that produces eggs in females and sperm in males. Germ cell cancers can occur in the ovaries or testicles. They also occur more rarely in other parts of the body.