You may hear or read lots of medical words that you don't understand, or are unsure about. Some of the common ones are explained below. If you don't understand the words a doctor or nurse is using don't feel embarrassed to ask them to explain them.
Alopecia Hair loss
Anaesthetic Drugs to put a person to sleep (general anaesthetic) or to numb a part of the body (local anaesthetic)
Benign Not cancerous, although may be capable of causing problems
Biopsy A small sample of body tissue, taken to make a diagnosis
Blood count Blood test to check the number of cells of different types in the blood
Bone marrow The spongy material in the centre of the large bones of the body which makes blood cells
Carcinogen A cancer causing agent
Cardio To do with the heart
Catheter A thin flexible tube used to pass fluid into the body or to drain fluid from the body (for example, urinary catheter, central venous catheter [long line])
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) The fluid produced within the brain which surrounds the brain and spinal cord
Chemotherapy Drug treatment to kill cancer cells
Chromosome Structure in the nucleus of the cell which contains the genes
Chronic Long-standing or long-lasting
Congenital Any condition existing at birth
Cyto To do with cells
Dysfunction Not working properly
Electrolytes The minerals and salts in the body, e.g. sodium, potassium, calcium
Endocrine To do with hormones
Excision Cutting out
Genetic Condition caused by abnormal genes (may be inherited) Haematology The study of blood and blood diseases
Haemoglobin The substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body
Histopathology The study of body tissues
Hormone A substance made and secreted by a gland and carried in the bloodstream to parts of the body where it has a specific effect on the way the body works
Immune system The body’s defence against infection, disease and foreign substances
Immunology The study of the body’s system for fighting infection
Immunosuppressive Lowering the body’s ability to fight infection
Intravenous (IV) Into a vein
Lymph Almost colourless liquid, part of the body’s defence against infection, carried in a network of lymphatic vessels
Lymphocyte A white blood cell produced by a lymph gland, which fights infection
Malignant Cancerous. If a tumour is malignant it grows uncontrollably and can travel to other parts of the body
Metastases Tumours that have spread from a first (primary) tumour in another part of the body; also known as secondary tumours
Microbiology The study of germs
Morbidity The state of being diseased; ill effects
Nausea Feeling sick
Neuro To do with the nerves or nervous system
Neutropenic Low levels of neutrophils
Neutrophils White blood cells which fight infection
Oncology The study and treatment of cancer
Ophthalmology The study of the eyes
Oral To do with the mouth
Osteo To do with the bones
Paediatric To do with children
Palliative Relief of a symptom (for example, pain) rather than cure of the disease
Platelet Blood cell which helps blood to clot
Prognosis The expected outcome of a disease and its treatment
Prosthesis An artificial replacement of, for example, a bone
Pulmonary To do with the lungs
Radiotherapy The use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells
Refractory Resistant to treatment
Relapse The return of a disease after previous treatment
Remission There is no evidence of the disease using the available tests
Renal To do with the kidneys
Sarcoma A tumour of connective tissue, for example bone, muscle, fat, nerve sheath or blood vessels
Stage of a cancer The extent of a cancer (it’s size and whether it has spread)
Stem cell Early (immature) blood cell
Subcutaneous Under the skin
Therapy Treatment
Thrombocytopenia A reduced number of platelets in the blood
Toxic Poisonous; causes unpleasant or dangerous effects, for example, cytotoxic drugs poison cells
Tumour An abnormal lump of tissue formed by a collection of cells. It may be benign or malignant
