Welcome to
Together is a new resource for anyone affected by pediatric cancer - patients and their parents, family members, and friends.
Learn MoreShowing 1-65 out of 65 Terms
We're sorry, it looks like there has been an error. Please try again soon.
A shaft or opening on the surface of the skin through which hair grows.
The removal of a donor's bone marrow prior to bone marrow transplant.
A substance that causes a chemical change that stops tumor cells from dividing. HDAC inhibitors are being studied in the treatment of cancer. Also called histone deacetylase inhibitor.
Cancer that arises in the head or neck region (in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx [voice box]).
A record of information about a person’s health. A personal health history may include information about allergies, illnesses, surgeries, immunizations, and results of physical exams and tests. It may also include information about medicines taken and health habits, such as diet and exercise. A family health history includes health information about a person’s close family members (parents, grandparents, children, brothers, and sisters). This includes their current and past illnesses. A family health history may show a pattern of certain diseases in a family. Also called medical history.
A licensed person or organization that provides healthcare services.
A type of advance directive that gives a person (such as a relative, lawyer, or friend) the authority to make healthcare decisions for another person. It becomes active when that person loses the ability to make decisions for himself or herself. Also called HCP.
A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood in one or more of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart muscle, suddenly becomes blocked, and a section of heart muscle can’t get enough oxygen. The blockage is usually caused when a plaque ruptures. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, either by a medicine that dissolves the blockage or a catheter placed within the artery that physically opens the blockage, the section of heart muscle begins to die.
The percentage of red blood cells.
A doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood and blood-forming tissues.
A medical science that deals with the blood and blood-forming organs.
The branch of medical science that treats disorders of the blood, blood forming tissues and tumor cells.
A collection of blood outside a blood vessel caused by a leak or an injury; a bruise.
Blood in the urine; urine may be pink, red, or brown (coke colored).
The substance in red cells which carries oxygen.
A general term for loss of blood brought about by injury to the blood vessels or by a deficiency of certain necessary blood elements such as platelets.
Painful, frequent bloody urination.
An enlarged or swollen blood vessel, usually located near the anus or the rectum.
A substance that slows the formation of blood clots. Heparin is made by the liver, lungs, and other tissues in the body and can also made in the laboratory. Heparin may be injected into muscle or blood to prevent or break up blood clots. It is a type of anticoagulant.
Disease of the liver causing inflammation. Symptoms include an enlarged liver, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dark urine.
A virus that causes hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). It is carried and passed to others through the blood and other body fluids. Different ways the virus is spread include sharing needles with an infected person and being stuck accidentally by a needle contaminated with the virus. Infants born to infected mothers may also become infected with the virus. Although many patients who are infected with hepatitis B virus may not have symptoms, long-term infection may lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer. Also called HBV.
A type of liver tumor that occurs in infants and children.
A type of adenocarcinoma and the most common type of liver tumor.
A product made from a plant that is thought to be useful in treating disease or staying healthy. Herbal supplements are taken by mouth.
Passed down from one generation to the next within a family.
See BROVIAC® catheter.
A blood pressure of 140/90 or higher. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. It can harm the arteries and cause an increase in the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness. Also called hypertension.
An intensive drug treatment to kill cancer cells, but that also destroys the bone marrow and can cause other severe side effects. High-dose chemotherapy is usually followed by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation to rebuild the bone marrow.
An amount of radiation that is greater than that given in typical radiation therapy. High-dose radiation is precisely directed at the tumor to avoid damaging healthy tissue, and may kill more cancer cells in fewer treatments. Also called HDR.
A term used to describe cells and tissue that look abnormal under a microscope. High-grade cancer cells tend to grow and spread more quickly than low-grade cancer cells. Cancer grade may be used to help plan treatment and determine prognosis. High-grade cancers usually have a worse prognosis than low-grade cancers and may need treatment right away or treatment that is more aggressive (intensive).
A term used to describe cells and tissue that look abnormal under a microscope. High-grade cancer cells tend to grow and spread more quickly than low-grade cancer cells. Cancer grade may be used to help plan treatment and determine prognosis. High-grade cancers usually have a worse prognosis than low-grade cancers and may need treatment right away or treatment that is more aggressive (intensive).
Cancer that is likely to recur (come back), or spread.
The study of tissues and cells under a microscope.
The cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Also called human immunodeficiency virus.
Itching welts caused by an allergic reaction.
A cancer of the immune system that is marked by the presence of a type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell. The two major types of Hodgkin lymphoma are classical Hodgkin lymphoma and nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. Symptoms include the painless enlargement of lymph nodes, spleen, or other immune tissue. Other symptoms include fever, weight loss, fatigue, or night sweats. Also called Hodgkin disease.
One of many substances made by glands in the body. Hormones circulate in the bloodstream and control the actions of certain cells or organs. Some hormones can also be made in the laboratory.
In medicine, describes a disease or condition that does not respond to treatment with hormones. Also called hormone-resistant.
Treatment with hormones to replace natural hormones when the body does not make enough. For example, hormone replacement therapy may be given when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone or when the pituitary gland does not make enough growth hormone. Or, it may be given to women after menopause to replace the hormones estrogen and progesterone that are no longer made by the body. Also called HRT.
In oncology, describes cancer that responds to hormone treatment.
Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones. For certain conditions (such as diabetes or menopause), hormones are given to adjust low hormone levels. To slow or stop the growth of certain cancers (such as prostate and breast cancer), synthetic hormones or other drugs may be given to block the body’s natural hormones. Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the gland that makes a certain hormone. Also called endocrine therapy, hormonal therapy, and hormone treatment.
A condition in which one side of the face is flushed, does not produce sweat, and has a constricted pupil and drooping eyelid. It can be caused by an injury to, or paralysis of, nerves in the neck, or by a tumor.
A special kind of care for people in the final phase of illness, their families and caregivers.
A cell that is infected by a virus or another type of microorganism.
Antigens that appear on white blood cells as well as cells of almost all other tissues. By typing for HL-A antigens, donors and recipients of white blood cells, platelets, and organs can be "matched" insuring good performance and survival of transfused and transplanted cells.
Defines your condition with regard to body water; may be dehydrated, well hydrated, or excessively hydrated (edematous).
The abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.
A drug used to relieve the symptoms of certain hormone shortages and to suppress an immune response.
Prefix meaning ""more than"" normal.
A higher than normal level of activity. Hyperactivity can be used to describe the increased action of a body function, such as hormone production, or behavior. A person who is hyperactive may seem to be always moving or fidgeting, impulsive, unable to concentrate, and talking too much.
Being fed intravenously, supplying all the essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins, when you are unable to eat on your own.
More than the normal number of cells.
Elevated blood sugar.
A condition in which the parathyroid gland (one of four pea-sized organs found on the thyroid) makes too much parathyroid hormone. This causes a loss of calcium from the bones and an increased level of calcium in the blood. Symptoms include bone pain and kidney problems.
An exaggerated response by the immune system to a drug or other substance.
High blood pressure.
A trance-like state in which a person becomes more aware and focused on particular thoughts, feelings, images, sensations, or behaviors. While under hypnosis, a person may feel calm, relaxed, and more open to suggestion. Hypnosis is usually done with the help of a specially trained therapist. It may be used to help relieve stress, anxiety, and pain, and to help a person quit smoking or lose weight. Hypnosis is a type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
Prefix meaning ""too little."".
Too little calcium in the blood.
Less than the normal number of cells.
Radiation treatment in which the total dose of radiation is divided into large doses and treatments are given once a day or less often. Hypofractionated radiation therapy is given over a shorter period of time (fewer days or weeks) than standard radiation therapy.
Low blood sugar.
Too little potassium in the blood.
Low blood pressure.
The area of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst.
