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Macmillan - Cancer information Category: Health and Medicine > Cancer terms Date & country: 28/01/2011, UK Words: 355

Lymphoma
A cancer of the lymphatic system. There are two main types: Hodgkin's disease and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Lymphoscintigraphy
Scintigraphy used to get pictures of the lymphatic system.

Macmillan nurse
A nurse trained to give emotional support and practical advice to people with cancer and their families.

Malignant
Another word for cancerous.

Mammogram
A breast x-ray that may be taken to help diagnose cancer, or to look for early breast changes that may develop into cancer later on. See breast cancer section.

Massage
A term used to describe a range of techniques such as touching, stroking, pressing and kneading the surface of the body to promote physical and mental relaxation. See massage section.

Mastectomy
An operation to remove the breast.

Medical oncologist
A doctor who specialises in treating cancer with chemotherapy.

Medulloblastoma
A type of brain tumour.

Melanin
Melanin is the pigment that gives skin, hair, and parts of the eye, their colour.

Melanocytes
Melanocytes are the skin cells that produce the skin pigment melanin

Melanoma
A rare type of fast-spreading skin cancer. It starts in the cells that make our skin colour.

Meningioma
A type of brain tumour

Menopause
Another word for the change of life. The woman's ovaries produce less oestrogen and progesterone, and her periods eventually stop. She can then have no more children. The menopause will occur naturally with age, but it may also start suddenly because a woman has had certain surgical or medical treatments that affect the ovaries.

Mesothelioma
A rare cancer of the lining of the lung or (less often) the abdomen. The most likely cause is asbestos.

Metastases
If cancer cells get into the lymphatic system or bloodstream they may travel to other parts of the body and start growing there. These cancers are called secondary cancers or metastases.

Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells from the original tumour to other parts of the body, through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Also called secondary cancer.

Metastatic melanoma
Melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body from the original tumour. Also called secondary melanoma.

MGUS
MGUS stands for monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance. People with MGUS have an abnormal protein in the blood. Some people who have MGUS go on to develop a bone marrow cancer called myeloma. See myeloma section.

Mitosis
Cell division

Mole
A non-cancerous cluster of skin pigment cells. It usually appears as a brown spot on the surface of the skin.

MR scan
Magnetic resonance imaging (MR or MRI scan). This is like a CT scan but it uses a magnet and radio waves, not x-rays, to take the pictures. You lie on a couch inside a long chamber while the pictures are taken. See MRI section.

MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MR or MRI scan). This is like a CT scan but it uses a magnet and radio waves, not x-rays, to take the pictures. You lie on a couch inside a long chamber while the pictures are taken. See MRI section.

Mucositis
A condition that is caused by some cancer treatments. The moist lining of the digestive system becomes inflamed. It often causes sores in the mouth.

Myeloma
A cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is sometimes called multiple myeloma. See myeloma section.

Nausea
Feeling sick. This is sometimes a side effect of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. See nausea section.

Neoadjuuvant treatment
A treatment given before another treatment, to improve the chance of controlling or curing disease. For example chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be given before surgery, to try to shrink the cancer and make it easier to remove.

Nephrectomy
An operation to remove some or all of the kidney. See kidney cancer section.

Nerve cell tumour
A cancer that starts in the cells of the brain or spinal cord.

Neuroblastoma
A cancer of the part of the glands that produce adrenaline. It mainly affects children under the age of four, and the most usual place for it to start is in the adrenal gland near, the kidney.

Neuroendocrine tumour (NET)
NETs are slow-growing cancers that affect the neuroendocrine system - a network of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. NETs usually start in the bowel but they can affect other parts of the body too, such as the lungs and pancreas. The most usual type of NET is the carcinoid tumour. See NET section.

Nevi
The plural of nevus.

Nevus
The medical name for a non-cancerous skin growth, such as a mole or beauty spot. Plural: nevi.

Nodule
A little round lump or swelling. A nodule may be harmless or cancerous. In cancer treatment, doctors often use the term to describe small, secondary tumours.

Non-cancerous
Not cancerous and without the potential to become cancerous.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Any type of lymphoma that is not Hodgkin's disease. A lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. See Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma section.

Non-seminoma
A type of testicular cancer. See testicular cancer section.

Non-small cell lung cancer
The name given to cover three types of lung cancer, which are treated in similar ways. Most patients with lung cancer have one of the non-small cell types. See lung cancer section.

Octreoscan
A test in which a machine called a gamma camera takes a picture of the inside of the body. Beforehand a tiny amount of a radioactive substance is injected into a vein. This is to make a better picture.

Oesophageal Sphincter
This is the valve that sits at the bottom of the oesophagus, (the tube that carries food, liquid and saliva to the stomach). It closes to prevent partially digested food or stomach acid from travelling back up into the gullet.

Oesophagus
The gullet, or food pipe.

Oligodendroglioma
A type of brain tumour.

Oncologist
a specialist in cancer tumours and their treatment.

Oophorectomy
An operation to remove the ovaries.

Orchidectomy
An operation to remove the testicle. See testicular cancer section.

Osteosarcoma
A type of bone cancer.

Ostomist
someone who has a stoma

Ostomy or -ostomy
An operation to make an external opening into an organ or other part of the body. The opening is called a stoma.

Ovary
Each woman has two ovaries. They lie deep within the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus (womb). The ovaries store a woman's eggs, and make hormones that help to control the periods. Cancer of the ovary is a disease that starts in the cells of the ovary. There are different types of this cancer. See cancer of the ovary section.

Palliative treatment
Treatment that aims not to cure a patient but to relieve symptoms.

Pancreas
A gland that lies behind the stomach. It produces digestive juices, insulin and other hormones. See cancer of the pancreas section.

Pancreatectomy
A total pancreatectomy is an operation to remove all of the pancreas, part of the stomach, the duodenum, the gall bladder, part of the bile duct, the spleen and some of the lymph nodes. A distal pancreatectomy is an operation to remove part of the pancreas, and sometimes the spleen. See cancer of the pancreas section.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy
An operation to remove part of the pancreas. It may also involve removing part of the stomach, the duodenum, the gall bladder and part of the bile duct. Another name for it is Whipple's operation. Sometimes the doctor may be able to operate without removing any of the stomach. This is called a pylorus-preserving Whipple's. See cancer of the pancrea...

PCI
PCI stands for prophylactic cranial irradiation. Sometimes, lung cancer spreads to the brain. PCI tries to prevent this by giving radiotherapy to the brain. See lung cancer section.

Penectomy
An operation to remove part or all of the penis. See cancer of the penis section.

Percutaneous biliary drainage
A surgical procedure, combined with the use of X-ray equipment, to relieve a blockage in the hepatic or common bile ducts. It is done to relieve obstructive jaundice.

Peritoneal
having to do with the peritoneum.

Peritoneal cavity
the space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, the kidneys, the pancreas, the bladder and the liver.

Peritoneum
a smooth, elastic, and transparent membrane (fibrous sheet) which lines the walls and organs of the abdomen and pelvis.

PET scanner
See positron emission tomography.

Photo dynamic therapy (PDT)
A cancer treatment in which a drug is activated by a laser light beam.

PICC
PICC stands for peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a long, thin, flexible tube that is put into a vein in the arm, and used to give chemotherapy drugs. See PICC section.

Plasmacytoma
A lump that forms when myeloma cells gather in one place. See myeloma section.

Platelet
A type of blood cell that helps the blood to clot.

Pleural effusion
A build up of fluid around the lungs. Some cancers can cause this build up. The fluid can be drained off through a tube, to make the patient feel more comfortable.

Pneumonectomy
An operation to remove the lung. See lung cancer section.

Polyp
A non-cancerous growth found in the moist inner linings (mucous membranes) of the body.

Polypectomy
A minor surgical operation to remove polyps.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
a gamma camera scanner that picks up gamma rays (which are very similar to X-rays) from radioactive chemicals that have been injected, swallowed or breathed into the body. For a PET scan, the patient is injected with a small amount of a radioactive sugar, which gathers in cancer cells inside the body. A special scanner (sometimes attached to a Comp...

Precancerous
A condition that shows cellular changes that indicate it may become cancerous.

Primary health care
First contact health care provided by a GP or other health professional. This includes the care given by dentists, opticians, pharmacists and other community health services.

Primary site
The place in the body where a cancer first grows.

Prognosis
the assessment of the future course and outcome of a disease.

Progressing or progressive cancer
A phrase used to mean that, despite initial treatment, the cancer is growing, spreading or getting worse.

Prostate
The prostate is a gland found only in men, It is located behind the pubic bone, at the bottom of the bladder. It produces a thick white fluid that is part of the semen. Prostate cancer is a common cancer that starts in the cells of the prostate gland. See prostate cancer section.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
PSA is a substance found in all men, in the fluid made by the prostate. It can be detected in a blood test. A high level of PSA may be a sign of prostate cancer (but this is not always the case). See prostate cancer section.

Prostatectomy
An operation to remove the prostate gland.

Prosthesis
A false body part. For example, a woman who has had a breast removed may decide to wear a breast prosthesis inside her bra.

PSA
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. PSA is a substance found in all men, in the fluid made by the prostate. It can be detected in a blood test. A high level of PSA may be a sign of prostate cancer (but this is not always the case). See prostate cancer section.

PTC
See Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography.

Radioactive
something sending out radiation.

Radiographer
A diagnostic radiographer helps to diagnose disease by taking x-ray pictures and scans. A therapy radiographer is trained to plan and deliver radiotherapy treatment, and to provide advice and support to patients.

Radiologist
A doctor who specialises in interpreting x-rays and scans.

Radionuclide
Radioactive atoms that are used to make a tracer signal that is picked up in a bone scan

Radiotherapy
A treatment that uses radiation to treat cancers (and sometimes other diseases). See radiotherapy section.

Randomised Trial
Randomised means that no-one can choose who gets the new treatment and who gets the standard one. Instead, patients are allocated randomly to one of the groups. See clinical trials.

RCC
RCC stands for renal cell carcinoma. This is the most common type of kidney cancer. See kidney cancer section.

Rectum
The lower part of the large bowel. It runs from the sigmoid colon to the anus. Stools are stored in the rectum before being passed out through the anus.

Reed-Sternberg cell
A type of body cell that can be seen in patients who have Hodgkin's disease. See Hodgkin's disease section.

Reflexology
A complementary therapy in which pressure is applied to the feet. The aim is to assess the patient's health and promote wellbeing. See reflexology section.

Reiki
A complementary therapy. Practitioners believe that, by releasing the body's universal energy (reiki), they can stimulate the natural healing mechanisms and balance the emotions. See reiki section.

Relatives:
First degree relatives The closest blood relatives. Relatives by marriage do not count. They are your mother, father, daughters, sons, sisters and brothers. Second degree relatives Blood-related grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews on both the mother`s and father`s sides of the family. Half-sisters and half-bro...

Remission
A complete remission is when cancer goes away after treatment and there is no longer any sign of it. If the cancer has shrunk but not gone away completely, this is a partial remission.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
The most common type of kidney cancer. See kidney cancer section.

Resection
a resection is the surgical removal of any portion of the body. This is usually because it is damaged or diseased.

Retinoblastoma
A rare childhood cancer of the eye.

Sarcoma
A cancer that starts in the body's bones, fat, muscles, tendons, cartilage or certain other tissues.

Scan
A computer-aided medical picture, used to examine the body. The picture is often built up of several pictures, to make a `map` of an area. Scans are made by a number of different machines (including CT scanners, MRI scanners, and radioisotope scanners).

Scintigraphy
A diagnostic method. A radioactive tracer is injected into the body. The radiation it sends out produces flashes of light on a scintillator, and they are recorded. By scanning the body, section by section, a pattern is built up.

Scintillator
Instrument used to detect radioactivity