Have you ever been confused on the terms used to describe cancer? Learn the difference between turnor, cancer, carcinoma. The terminology below may be somewhat technical but is good start to have in your vocabulary if you wish to learn and understand about cancer.
ABERRATION: Deviation from normal.
AGENESIS: Complete absence.
ANAPLASIA: Loose their specific role and function, ; non-specialization (cells have no specific function) dedifferentiation, reversion of cell to embryonic quality. Happens in beginning of cancer; e.g., papsmear.
ANTIBODY: A protein belonging to a class of proteins called immunoglobulins. Antibodies are produced by plasma cells comes from they lymphs or lymphocytes to counteract specific aTitigens (infectious agents like viruses, bacteria, etc.) The antibodies combine with the antigen they are created to fight, often causing the death of that infectious agent.
ANTIGEN: foreign substance that gets into the body. The body sees it and recongizes that it doesn’t want it and immune response takes place or antibody formation.
ASYMPTOMATIC: Showing or causing no symptoms. ,
ATAXIA: No motor coordination, e.g., tertiary syphyillis.
ATROPHY: Acquired decrease in size; that was once of normal proportion. Comes with disuse, e.g., limbs in cast.
ATYPICAL MYCOBACTERIA: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the most common mycobacterium causing human disease, these other mycobacterial pecies may occur widely in nature but do not often cause disease except in immunosuppressed individuals.
BENIGN: Not malignant; not recurrent; favorable for recovery.
B-LYMPHOCYTES: Certain white blood cells that float through the body and are able to detect the presence of foreign agents. Once exposed to an antigen on the agent, these cells differentiate into plasma cells to produce antibodies.
CANDIDIASIS: (Thrush) Infection by fungi of the genus Candida, generally albicans, most commonly involving the skin, oral mucosa, respiratory tract, and vagina. A systemic thrush infection or an endocarditis caused by Candida may attack severely debilitated individuals.
CANCER: Any malignant, cellular tumor; cancers are divided into two categories of carcinoma and sarcoma.
CARCINOGENIC: Referring to anything that may induce the cancerous transformation of cells.
CARCINOMA: Malignant new growth made up of epithelial cells surface tissue, linings, glands, etc.) tending to infiltrate to surrounding tissues and to give rise to metastasis, e.g., dyes, pesticides, etc.
CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNITY: The reaction to antigenic (foreign) material of specific defensive cells (macrophages) rather than antibodies. It is thought to be this reaction which breaks down in AIDS, (-oma = tumor). Breaks down in AIDS.
- At the cellular level a direct contact between an antigen and an effector lymph. Proctects against intracellular pathogens or agents when working properly.
- Does not function properly in AIDS patients or they have no cell mediated immunity and they are susceptible to a lot of problems.
- Plays a big part in tumor immunity.
CHEMOTHERAPY: The use of drugs or pharmacologic agents that have a specific and toxic effect upon a disease-causing pathogen.
CO-CARCINOGEN: Substance which, when added with innocuous substance, causes cancer. Doeinot do so alone.
COLITIS: Inflammation of the colon (that part of the large intestine which terminates at the rectum).
CONTACT INHIBITION: Normally cell membranes trigger sensations of mitosis, cell membranes touch – mitotic process stops. This inherent control fails in tumor growth.
CRYPTOCOCCOSIS: Infection by Cryptococcus neoformans. a fungi having a predilection for the brain and meninges but capable of invading the skin, lungs, and other body tissue.
CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS: An infection caused by a protozoan parasite found in the intestines of animals. Often acquired by direct contact with the infected animal, it lodges in the human intestines and causes severe diarrhea. It may be transmitted from person to person. This infection seems to be occurring more frequently in immunosuppressed people and can lead to prolonged symptoms which do not respond to medications.
CUT-OFF VALUE: The optical density (OD) reading of reference sera in an ELISA test which differentiates a reactive result from a negative result. (Also called “cut point”). ELISA testing used in AIDS.
CYANOSIS: A sign of anemia..Bluish color of the skin and mucous membranes due to a reduction of hemoglobin /in the blood. Due to a lack of O2.
CYTOMEGALOVIRUS: Any of a group of highly host-specific herpes viruses, infecting man, monkeys, or rodents, producing unique large cells with intranuclear inclusions. CMV has been associated with infectious mononucleosis, but has recently come to be associated with AIDS. Has to do with herpes virus.
DEDIFFERENTIATION: Regression from a more specialized or complex form to a simpler state.
DEGENERATION: Deterioration of cells or tissues.
DEPRESSION: A mental illness characterized by dejection, apathy, insomnia, weight loss, and physical inactivity.