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

Pigment
Substance that gives colour. There is pigment in our skin, and in the iris (coloured part) of our eyes. It is the cells that produce these pigments that become cancerous in malignant melanoma.

Pigmented Lesion Clinic
Clinic where people who have a lot of moles, or who have been diagnosed with Dysplastic Naevus Syndrome can have their moles checked by a doctor. Early possibly cancerous changes in the moles can be picked up and the affected mole removed. Attendance at this type of clinic can help to prevent you from developing a deep melanoma if you are in one of…

Pineal Germinoma
(Pineal Tumour) Type of brain tumour affecting the pineal gland. Occurs more often in children and teenagers than in adults. Extremely rare.

Pituitary Downregulators
(Goserelin, Lhrh Analogues, Lhrh Regulators, Zoladex) Drugs which act on the pituitary gland in the brain. The pituitary normally signals to the testicles to make testosterone (the male sex hormone) and the ovaries to make oestrogen (the female sex hormone). These drugs stop that signal and so stop sex hormone production. Drug called Goserelin (als…

Pituitary Gland
Gland in the brain which produces many different Hormones. These hormones control a lot of body processes - for example, growth, metabolism, production of sex hormones.

Pituitary Tumour
(Pituitary Adenoma) Type of brain tumour affecting the pituitary gland. Most are benign. One in ten brain tumours are pituitary tumours.

Placebo
Dummy treatment used in some research trials. One group of patients will get the new treatment and another group will get the dummy treatment. The patients will not know which they are getting and so will not unconsciously affect the results.

Placebo Controlled Trial
Trial where the control group (patients who are being compared to patients getting the new treatment) are being given a placebo (dummy treatment).

Placebo Effect
Used to describe improvement in the condition of patients who think they are being treated, but are in fact getting a dummy treatment.

Placenta
Organ that grows in the womb during pregnancy. It connects the mother to the baby and transfers food and oxygen so the baby can develop. After birth, the placenta is pushed out of the womb.

Plantar - Palmar Erythema
Also called 'hand-foot syndrome'. It is a side effect of chemotherapy with capecitabine tablets or continuous 5FU. The skin on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet goes red and peels. The redness and peeling clears up when the treatment is finished.

Plaques
In radiotherapy treatment, this means a tiny plate that is lined with radioactive material. Radioactive plaques are used in radiotherapy to the eye. The plaques are stitched in place over the area containing the cancer. They are left there for several days to deliver radiation directly to the cancer. You are given an anaesthetic when the plates are…

Plasma
The liquid part of blood that the blood cells are suspended in.

Plastic surgeon
A doctor who specialises in surgery to correct damage to the skin. For example, reducing the amount of scarring that may happen because of surgery to treat a cancer of the head and neck.

Platelet
(Platelets) Type of blood cell. Helps the blood to clot. Platelet levels can drop during a course of chemotherapy.

Platelet Transfusion
(Platelet Transfusions) Giving extra platelets via a drip into a vein. Platelet transfusions are quite fast. They take about half an hour per bag. But you may need several bags at a time. Many people begin to get a reaction to platelet transfusions after they have had a few. This reaction causes a very high temperature and feeling shivery. Your doc…

Platinum Drugs
Group of chemotherapy drugs. Includes cisplatin and carboplatin. Used to treat a variety of cancers including ovarian cancer.

Pleura
(pleural membrane) Two sheets of skin-like body tissue that cover each lung.

Pleural Effusion
Abnormal collection of fluid between the sheets of skin (pleura) which cover the lungs. Causes difficulty breathing.

Pleural Membrane
(Pleura) Sheet of skin covering the lung.

Pleural Tap
Procedure for draining fluid off the lungs (a pleural effusion). A needle is put into the space between the sheets of skin that cover the lungs and the fluid drained off into a bag. Usually done with a local anaesthetic.

Pleurectomy
Removal of the pleura - the sheets of tissue that cover the lungs.

Pleurodesis
Sealing the space between the 2 sheets of tissue that cover the lung (the pleura) with either talc or an antibiotic. This is done to stop fluid collecting in the space (pleural effusion) and causing difficulty breathing.

Pneumonectomy
Operation to remove a whole lung.

Pneumonia
Infection in the lung, usually caused by bacteria.

Polio
(Polio Vaccine) Infectious disease. You should not have a vaccination against polio if you are having chemotherapy as the vaccine is live.

Polycyclic Hydrocarbons
Chemicals that are produced during cooking (especially barbecuing) when meat and fish burns. These chemicals are known to be carcinogenic. In theory this could be a possible cause of bowel cancer, but there is no evidence to prove this as yet.

Polycythaemia Rubra Vera
(PCV) Blood disease. Not a cancer. Too many blood cells are made, so often treated with cancer treatments such as radioactive phosphorus.

Porcelain gallbladder
A condition in which calcium deposits build up on the tissue that lines the wall of the gall bladder.

Positive Lymph Nodes
Used to mean lymph nodes that have been found to contain cancer cells. Means there is a greater chance that a cancer has spread and usually an indication for adjuvant treatment such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy.

Post Menopausal
Women who have been through the 'change of life' or menopause. This means their periods have stopped.

Pre Menopausal
Women who have not yet been through the 'change of life' or menopause and so are still having periods.

Pre-cancer
(Pre-cancerous, Pre-cancerous cells) Stage before cancer has developed when cells appear abnormal but are not actually cancerous. If left untreated, they may go on to become cancerous. If pre-cancerous cells are detected, then a cancer can be prevented from developing as with the cervical smear screening programme.

Premature Menopause
Menopause that is brought on artificially before it would happen normally. Usually as a result of surgery to remove the ovaries. Or cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy to the womb or pelvis.

Primary Brain Tumour
A cancer which started in the brain (rather than spreading to the brain from another part of the body).

Primary Cancer
(Primary Tumour) Where the cancer started. The type of cell that has become cancerous will be the primary cancer - for example, if a biopsy from the liver or lung contains cancerous breast cells, then the primary cancer is breast cancer.

Primary Lung Cancer
Cancer that has started in the lung.

Proctoscopy
(Proctoscope) Examination of the rectum (back passage) using a tube (proctoscope) put into the rectum through the anus. The doctor can see inside the rectum and take biopsies (samples of tissue) for examination under a microscope.

Progesterone
One of the two female sex hormones.

Prognosis
The likely outlook for someone with a disease. In other words, whether it is likely to be cured or controlled with treatment.

Progression
To a researcher, this means that a cancer has grown by at least a quarter in size, or that new areas of cancer have appeared.

Prophylactic Cranial Radiotherapy
(PCI) Literally means preventative radiotherapy to the head. With some types of cancer that can spread to the brain, doctors like to give a short course of radiotherapy to the brain. The idea of this is that it kills off any microscopic spread that may already be there.

Prostate
A gland found in men surrounding the urethra (tube which carries urine from the bladder to the penis). The gland makes a thick white fluid which mixes with sperm to make semen.

Prostate Cancer
Cancer of the prostate gland.

Prostate Specific Antigen
Substance produced by prostate cells and found in the blood. The level can be measured by a blood test. If it is much higher than normal, there may be a cancer in the prostate and further tests will need to be done. It is not a test for cancer on its own. Can also be used as a marker in men diagnosed with prostate cancer - the level goes up when th…

Prosthesis
Fake body part. Can be internal (for example, silicon ball inserted in scrotum to replace testicle) or external (for example, false breast).

Proteasome inhibitors
Proteasomes are substances found in all cells that help break down proteins. Proteasome inhibitors are drugs that interfere with the way proteasomes work, leading to a build up of proteins in the cells. This causes cells to die. Research has shown that cancer cells are more sensitive to proteasome inhibitors than normal cells.

Protocol
(Trial Protocol) Detailed plan of a research trial.

Provox valve
A type of valve that is used to help you speak after you have had your voice box removed (total laryngectomy).

PSA Level
Level of Prostate Specific Antigen in the blood.

Purpura
A collection of tiny red or purple spots under the skin, caused by blood leaking from small broken blood vessels. Can look like a rash of tiny red dots and is sometimes called pinprick bleeds. It can occur on any part of body but is more common on specific areas, such as the front of the shins.

Pyloric Sphincter
The valve at the bottom of the stomach. The valve opens to allow digested food to move from the stomach through into the duodenum. See Duodenum.

Pylorus
The bottom half of the stomach.

Qi gong
(Pronounced chee gong.) An aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, consisting of meditation, relaxation, physical movement, mind-body integration, and breathing exercises. Experienced practitioners believe they can use Qi gong to heal others.

Quality of life
To a researcher, looking at 'quality of life' means looking at how a treatment is affecting your life. For example, can include efect on symptoms or side effects and whether a drug is given as a tablet or injection.

QUASAR
A UK-based clinical trial network, researching the treatments for bowel cancer.

Radiation
(Radioactivity) Strictly speaking, radiation means giving off any energy particles or waves and includes heat and light. But usually used to mean radioactivity. This means gamma rays, alpha or beta particles from a radioactive source. The radioactivity comes from the breakdown of atoms. The source can be natural or made in a nuclear reactor. Uncont…

Radical Cystectomy
Operation to remove the bladder and lymph nodes; prostate gland in men; and sometimes womb and ovaries in women. This operation is done to treat bladder cancer.

Radical gallbladder resection
A very big operation to take out the gallbladder, a small part of the liver, the common bile duct, and the nearby lymph nodes. It may also involve taking out part or all of your pancreas, liver, or bowel.

Radical Mastectomy
Operation to remove the breast, lymph glands under the arm and the muscles of the chest wall. Very rarely done now.

Radical Radiotherapy
An intensive course of radiotherapy that is given to try to cure a cancer.

Radical Surgery
Major surgery aiming to remove all possible tissue that could be affected by a particular cancer. Alternative approach to removing just a tumour and giving radiotherapy to the surrounding area, for example.

Radical treatment
Treatment that aims to completely get rid of a cancer.

Radioactive
Something which gives off high energy rays or particles.

Radioactive Beads
Type of radiotherapy using small beads made of isotopes of gold or iodine that give off radiation. The beads can be placed inside the body where there is a cancer. This gives a high dose of radiotherapy to the cancer, but at a low dose to healthy parts of the body.

Radioactive Drink
Type of internal radiotherapy. The radiation is given in liquid form as a drink (eg radioactive iodine) to treat cancer of the thyroid.

Radioactive Dye
Dye which gives off radiation. Used in very small amounts during some types of scan.

Radioactive Injection
Injection into a vein of a tiny amount of a radioactive substance. This is usually done for a scan, for example a bone scan. But it can also be a treatment such as P32.

Radioactive Liquid
(Radioactive Liquids) Liquid that gives off radiation.

Radioactive Material
(Radioactive Substance) Any substance which gives off radiation.

Radioactive Source
(Radiation Source) Where radiation is given off. With external radiotherapy the radiotherapy machine is the source. With internal radiotherapy the implant, wires, or whatever is being used is the source.

Radiographer
Person trained to operate radiotherapy machines and take x-rays.

Radiologist
A doctor who specialises in reading X-rays and scans, and carrying out scans and other specialist X-ray techniques.

Radionuclide
A radionuclide is a radioactive form of an atom that is either natural or manmade. They can be used in tiny amounts as a tracer in a bone scan, for example. Or they may be used as a cancer treatment. Iodine 131 is an example of a radionuclide - it is a radioactive form of iodine.

Radionuclide therapy
Radionuclide therapy is a type of internal radiotherapy. 'Systemic radionuclide therapy means that a radioactive substance circulates throughout the body. In some types of treatment, the radioactive substance is in a drink. In others, you have it as an injection into the bloodstream. The radiation kills cancer cells wherever it finds them. Fo…

Radiosensitive
A cancer that responds well to radiotherapy is said to be radiosensitive.

Radiosensitizing
A drug or substance that increases sensitivity to radiation. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is radiosensitisizing so it is sometimes given with radiotherapy to treat some types of cancer.

Radiotherapist
Doctor who specialises in treating patients with radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy
(Radiotherapy Treatment, Radium Treatment) Cancer treatment using high energy waves similar to X-rays. Used to be called radium treatment because all radiotherapy used to be given using radium.

Radiotherapy Department
Department in a hospital where radiotherapy treatment is planned and given.

Radiotherapy Field
Area covered by a radiotherapy beam. Usually several 'beams' are used for external radiotherapy, and so there are several fields.

Radiotherapy Implant
(Radioactive Implant) Radioactive substance that is put inside the body to give radiotherapy directly to a cancer. Can be in many different forms eg wires, beads. For example, irridium wires can be put into the breast or tongue to treat breast cancer or mouth cancer.

Radiotherapy Limit
There is a maximum amount of radiotherapy that can be given to any part of the body, or person. Each body organ has its own radiotherapy limit. Some organs are more sensitive to radiotherapy than others.

Radiotherapy Machine
Machine used to give external radiotherapy treatment for cancer (and some other illnesses and conditions).

Radiotherapy Nurse
Nurse who works in the radiotherapy department and can advise patients on managing radiotherapy treatment and side effects.

Radiotherapy Planning
Process of designing an individual's course of radiotherapy treatment.

Radiotherapy Side Effects
Unwanted effects on the body of radiotherapy. Radiotherapy side effects only occur in the area that is being treated. Although you can sometimes get skin reddening on the other side of the body, where the rays pass through. Radiotherapy can cause hair loss, sickness, diarrhoea, sore skin, and sore mouth depending on where in the body you are being …

Radium
The first substance discovered to give off radiation. Used to treat cancer.

Radon Gas
(Radioactive Gas) A naturally occuring radioactive gas. Radon is given off by the Earth. The amount of it around depends on where you live. Areas with a lot of granite in the ground tend to have higher than average levels of radon. In the UK these are Derbyshire, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Northamptonshire. Radon is one of the causes of lung can…

Random
By chance.

Randomisation
Process of putting into groups by chance, to make sure there is no bias.

Randomised Controlled Trial
Trial where people are put into groups by chance. One group is given the best current treatment or a placebo and their progress is compared with those having the treatment that is being tested. People are usually selected for each group by a computer.

Randomised Trial
A clinical trial which compares different treatments to find out which works best. Those taking part are put into the different trial groups by a computer. Usually, neither the doctors running the trial nor those taking part know which group they are in

Receptors
Receptors are structures on the surface of cells. When a receptor meets a particular substance, it triggers a reaction in the cell. The receptor is like a lock and the substance like a key. Each substance only locks on to its specific receptor. There are many different receptors. Each causes different reactions in the cell. For example, some make…

Reconstructive Surgery
Operation to rebuild a part of the body that has been removed or damaged (for example, breast reconstruction).

Recruitment
When the trial is open for people to enter.

Rectal Examination
Medical examination where the doctor puts a finger into the back passage to see if he can feel anything wrong. Used to examine the prostate.

Rectum
The back passage. The end of the bowel where faeces is stored before it is passed out of the body through the anus.

Recur
Come back - cancers may recur after they are first treated.

Recurrence
(Recurred, Recurrent) Cancer that has come back again after treatment.