GLOSSARY OF ONCOLOGY AND GENERAL MEDICAL TERMS

DISCLAIMER: This glossary has not been prepared by medical staff and should therefore be treated with appropriate caution.

UK English spellings have been used throughout. ie 'Paed-', 'Haemo-', 'Tumour'.

Abbreviations and various drug names:

Under construction and, as yet, in no particular order.
The focus is on CCSK, and some terms may not be relevant to specific treatments.

VCR	vincristine, Oncovin
DOX,ADR	doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin, Adriamycin, Doxil
CTX	cyclophosphamide, Cytoxan
AMD	actinomycin-D, Dactinomycin, ("anti-tumour antibiotic")
E	etoposide,VP-16
TMX	TMP/SMX, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Bactrim, Septra, Co-trimoxazole, (antibiotic)
MESNA (sodium (Na)2 - MercaptoEthaneSulfonate)	minimises urinary damage by CTX etc.
G-CSF	granulocyte colony stimulating factor, helps the body recover immune cells after chemo.
cGy	centi-Geigy, a measure of radiation dose
push	injection from a syringe
infusion	slow dosing from a drip/pump
bolus	larger doses, occasionally given
IV	intravenous, into a vein, possibly via a CVL
CVL	central venous line, indwelling line; Hickman; port; Broviac
Hickman line	pipe leading from a vein, usually near the heart, to the outside world. more...
bung	cap that goes on the end of a line, possibly with a rubbery diaphragm to take a needle.
port, Port-A-Cath	metal cup with rubbery diaphragm, placed under the skin with a line into a vein, accessed through the skin with a needle.
non-coring	a needle that doesn't remove material from it's path, like the port diaphragm.
Emla,"Magic cream".(eutectic mixture of local anesthetics)	local anaesthetic put on an injection site at least 20mins prior.
Venflon	butterfly needle, for infusions into, or taking blood from, a peripheral vein.
peripheral vein	a vein in an arm or leg, probably the wrist; hand; ankle; foot on a plumper child.
Hb, HB, Hgb	haemoglobin, in red blood cells to carry oxygen round
myelosuppression	(temporary) slowing of blood cell production, including immune system.
ablative therapy	extreme measure that destroys the body's blood making capability, usually followed by BMT,
BMT	bone marrow transplant, replacement of body's blood making system
immunosuppression	more specific term for interference with immune system.
neutropaenia, neutropaenic	lack of neutrophils in the blood, occurs some days after chemo, makes liable to infection
neutrophil	granulocyte, type of white blood cell that kills germs.
ANC	absolute neutrophil count
platelet	thrombocyte, a kind of blood cell that heals bleeding
metastases, mets, secondaries	new sites the cancer has spread to
primary	the probable original site of the cancer
pulmonary	of the lungs
mg/M2	dosage of drugs relating to a complicated formula (BSA)
late effects, sequellae	things that can happen some time after treatment. You may prefer to focus on getting through the present.
CBC	complete blood count
WBC	white blood cell count, incl. neutrophils; eosinophils; basophils; lymphocytes, (T & B), and monocytes.
RBC	red blood cell, (erythrocyte), count
p53	a gene concerned with susceptibility to some cancers, but not CCSK
EGFR	Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, a body chemical and the gene that produces it, strongly involved in susceptibility to CCSK
PTEN	Phosphatase and TENsin homologue, a body chemical and the gene that produces it, involved in slowing growth and spread of cancers
biopsy	removing a small piece of body tissue to test it
steroid	to reduce inflamation, irritation, sometimes nausea. Some can cause appetite and weight gain. Don't confuse with bodybuilding use.
Prednisolone	steroid notorious for weight gain
Dexamethasone	steroid to help prevent nausea
Ondansetron	tries to prevent nausea, not a steroid
NSAID	non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drug
histology	study of the body's finer structure, like cells
chromosomes	several chains of protein in a cell that act as blueprints for the cell's behaviour, like how it multiplies and what chemicals it makes.
gene	part of a chromosome that determines a particular thing like eye colour, or controlling types of growth (and therefore tumours)
adjuvant	alongside another method, usually surgery
randomisation	a (remote) computer assigns therapy alternatives randomly for a trial
trial	investigation of which therapy works best. If it becomes clear that one is strongly superior, the trial may be halted.
ibid	as above. Often indicates another quotation from the same article

This list has grown like topsy. Please mail me if there's anything you think should be included, trimmed or amended