Ablation: The removal or destruction of tissue or its function.

Acute: A disease which has symptoms or signs that are severe, begin and worsen and build to a crisis point quite quickly as opposed to chronic which is a long term illness or condition occurring over a much longer period of time.

Adenoma: A non-cancerous tumor.

Adenopathy: Large or swollen lymph nodes/ glands.

Adjunctive Therapy: Another treatment used together with the primary treatment. It’s purpose is to assist the primary treatment also called Adjunct Therapy.

Adjunct Therapy: Treatment given after the primary treatment to increase the chances of remission. This may include Radiation Therapy, Biological Therapy.

Adrenal Gland: A small gland that secretes hormones. These hormones help control the heart rate, blood pressure and other important body functions. There are two adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney.

Adrenalectomy: Surgery to remove one or both adrenal glands.

AJCC Staging System: A system developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer for describing the extent of cancer in a patients body. The description includes TNM: T describes the size of the tumor and if it has invaded nearby tissue, N describes any lymph nodes that are involved, and the M describes metastasis
(spread of cancer from one body part to another).

Allogenic Stem Cell Transplantation: A procedure in which a person receives blood forming stem cells from a genetically similar but not identical donor. This is often a brother or sister but could be a non related donor.

Analgesic: A drug that reduces pain, these include Aspirin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen.

Ana Plastic: A term used to describe cancer cells that divide rapidly and have little or no resemblance to normal cells.

Anemia: A condition in which the number of red blood cells are below normal.

Angiogenesis: Blood vessel formation. Tumor angiogenesis is the growth of blood vessels from surrounding tissue to a solid tumor due to chemicals released by the tumor.

Angiogenesis Inhibitor: A substance that prevents the formation of blood vessel. In anticancer therapy and angiogenesis inhibitor prevents the growth of blood vessels from surrounding tissue to a solid tumor.

Anorexia: The loss of appetite.

Antibody Therapy: The treatment with an antibody a substance that can directly kill specific tumor cells or stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells.

Anti-Emetic: A drug that prevents or reduces nausea and vomiting.

Apoptosis: Normal series of events inside cells that leads to it’s death.

Ascities: Abnormal build up of fluid in the abdomen that causes swelling.

Attenuation: The reduction in amplitude and intensity of a signal with respect to distance traveled through a medium.

Atypical: Meaning the cells are unusual. Generally a vague warning.

Autologous: The infusion of a patients own bone marrow previously removed and stored.

Avastin: A monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of colorectal cancer that has spread. It is currently being used for kidney cancer as it may prevent the growth of new blood vessels from surrounding tissue to a solid tumor. It was also called Bevacizumab