Medical

A transplant that uses bone marrow or stem cells that are donated by someone else.

When hair on your body or head falls out because of chemo or radiation therapy. Hair will most likely grow back.

Not enough red blood cells or hemoglobin (which is part of red blood cells). Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and cells. The body needs oxygen to produce energy. more...

Medication to reduce or prevent nausea (feeling like you want to throw up) and vomiting (throwing up).

A transplant that uses your own bone marrow or stem cells.

Non-cancerous or non-malignant (no cancer).

A (small) operation to remove a small piece of tissue, which is sent to a lab to see if it contains cancer cells.

Blood contains different types of cells circulating within the body suspended in a fluid called plasma. These cells include red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the body's tissues; white blood cells, which are an important part of the immune system; and platelets, which are involved in blood clotting. more...

The soft part at the centre of the major bones. Bone marrow creates red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Treatment that first kills the old bone marrow, then replaces it with new marrow from a compatible donor. The object is to introduce new healthy stem cells.

Complete Blood Count. A set of tests that counts red blood cells (including hemoglobin), white blood cells, and platelets. more...

A general term for more than 100 diseases. Cancer is when abnormal cells grow out of control in your body's organs and tissues. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

The most common type of cancer. They may start in the bowel, breasts, cervix, lungs, kidneys, ovaries, prostate gland, or in the skin.

The effects of chemo therapy on the brain. "For a given individual, chances are that their cognitive function will recover to normal or near-normal levels a year or two after chemo."

Cancer treatment that uses drugs (there are many kinds) to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. 5FU was my drug for treatment.

A type of radiation used to give external radiation therapy.

Combination therapy is when more than one treatment is used to treat your cancer. For example, you may have surgery and radiation therapy, or surgery and chemotherapy, etc.

Computed Tomography (CT) imaging, also known as "CAT scanning" (Computed Axial Tomography) more...

A system to describe the extent of spread of the cancer. See www.thedoctorslounge.net for other tumours.

A colostomy is a surgically created opening in which a portion of the digestive tract is brought to the abdominal surface, where waste is expelled. A colostomy may be required when part of the bowel doesn't work and an alternate route must be created for the flow of waste. The opening the surgeon creates is called a stoma. more...

When all signs of cancer are gone and there is no chance it will come back.

When your doctor finds out what your health problem is. Doctors will diagnose a disease by listening to what signs and symptoms you have, doing a physical check-up and sometimes doing tests to provide more detailed information.

Diarrhea means that you have more than three bowel movements per day and that what comes out is watery (not solid). more...

A person who is trained to give you advice about food and nutrition.

Feeling very tired or weak. A common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments.

A doctor who has special training in treating women with tumours of the ovary, womb, or cervix.

A group of health care professionals that treat and support people with cancer. The team includes your doctor, nurse, dietician, pharmacist, radiation therapist, social worker and others.

A doctor who has special training in treating blood diseases, such as leukemia.

The protein found in the red blood cells, which carries oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body. more...

Cancer treatment that uses hormones (given as drugs) to treat some kinds of cancer.

Proteins produced by your body, which move around in your blood. Hormones control how you grow, how you burn up the food you eat, and how you reproduce.

Cancer treatment that uses your body's immune system to fight cancer cells.

Also called a needle or shot. An injection is when a needle is used to put fluids into your body.

An injection that allows fluids to go right into a vein. The IV system includes a needle that goes into your hand, arm, or chest, connected to a thin tube, which is connected to a bag that contains a liquid.

Cancer of the white blood cells.

Cancer of the lymph system. This system is made up of the spleen, lymph nodes, and lymph vessels. The lymph system carries food, oxygen, and water to cells in your tissues.

A doctor who diagnoses and treats people with cancer, mainly using chemotherapy (drugs) or hormone therapy.

The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another through the bloodstream of lymph system.

Feeling like you might throw up. Having an upset stomach that makes you feel like you will throw up.

Lack of adequate white blood cells to fight off infections. more...

Person who is trained to give advice about food and nutrition.

A doctor who has special training in treating cancer.

A nurse who is trained to support you and your family and help you understand about your cancer and treatment. The nurse may give you your treatments, and can help you cope with any side effects or other problems.

A doctor who looks at cells and tissues under a microscope to see whether or not they are normal.

A PICC is a long, thin, flexible tube or catheter. It is inserted into one of the large veins of the arm near the bend of the elbow. It is then pushed into the vein until the tip sits in a large vein just above your heart. more...

Cells that help you form blood clots, to stop bleeding. more...

The likely outcome of a disease. Your prognosis provides answers to questions like: Will I be able to live a normal life? Will I be cured? Will I die?

A doctor who has special training in treating cancer using radiation therapy.

A health care professional who is trained to give radiation therapy, and to support you during radiation treatments.

The use of high-energy radiation from x-ray machines, cobalt, radium, or other sources to control or cure cancer.

Blood cells that contain hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body. Red blood cells also carry carbon dioxide (a waste product) from our body back to our lungs so we can breathe it out. more...

When the signs and symptoms of cancer disappear, and no more active cancer cells can be found.

A type of cancer that starts in muscles, bones, and cartilage.

Enables the physician to look at the inside of the large intestine from the rectum through the last part of the colon, called the sigmoid or descending colon. more...

A type of cancer treatment. It is like a bone marrow transplant, except that you get the stem cells themselves.

A stoma is the rerouting of your colon through your abdominal wall. more...

An injection where a needle enters your body just under the skin. (Not the same as intravenous, where the needle goes into a vein.)

A doctor who has special training to operate on people with cancer.

An operation.

When blood or blood products go into your body through an intravenous (IV) system (see intravenous injection).

A set of instructions that gives all the details about how you will get your cancer treatments.

A lump or group of cells. A tumour can be either benign (without cancer) or malignant (with cancer).

The body's defense system. White blood cells fight infection by catching and killing germs (bacteria) that get into the blood. Neutrophils are the most common type of white blood cell. more...

A type of radiation used to find out about (or diagnose) medical problems. When x-rays are used at high levels, they can treat some kinds of cancer. This is called radiation therapy.