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Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy
(bone MAYR-oh AS-pih-RAY-shun)
A procedure in which a small sample of bone marrow (soft, sponge-like tissue in the center of most bones) and bone is removed. A small area of skin and the surface of the bone underneath are numbed with an anesthetic. Then a special wide needle is pushed into the bone. A sample of liquid bone marrow is removed with a syringe attached to the needle. The syringe is then removed and the needle is rotated to remove a sample of the bone and the bone marrow. Both the bone marrow and bone samples are sent to a laboratory to be looked at under a microscope.
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Bone marrow transplant
bone MAYR-oh tranz-plan-TAY-shun
A very rigorous treatment for cancer which severely injures or destroys the patient's bone marrow. You are given high doses of chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells. The drugs also destroy the remaining bone marrow, thus robbing your body of its natural ability to fight infection. Total Body Radiation (TBI) is sometimes administered. In allogeneic transplantation, bone marrow from another individual, usually a brother or sister with the same tissue type is given to the patient. This bone marrow develops in the patient and eventually begins producing blood cells. In autologous bone marrow transplantation, some of your own bone marrow is removed and set aside before treatment and then re-infused. It starts producing blood cells a few weeks later. In umbilical cord blood transplantation, the use of stem cells in blood removed from the umbilical cords of newborns (a very rich source) is used for transplantation.
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Bone metastasis
(...meh-TAS-tuh-sis)
Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the bone.
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Bone scan
(bone skan)
A procedure to check for abnormal areas or damage in the bones. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the blood. The radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner (a special camera that takes pictures of the inside of the body). A bone scan may be used to diagnose bone tumors or cancer that has spread to the bone. It may also be used to help diagnose fractures, bone infections, or other bone problems. Also called bone scintigraphy.
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Bowel
(BOW-ul)
The long, tube-shaped organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. The bowel has two parts, the small bowel and the large bowel. Also called intestine.
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Bowel Movement
(BOW-ul MOOV-ment)
Movement of feces (undigested food, bacteria, mucus, and cells from the lining of the intestines) through the bowel and out the anus. Also called defecation.
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Bowel Obstruction
(BOW-ul ub-STRUK-shun)
A partial or complete block of the small or large intestine that keeps food, liquid, gas, and stool from moving through the intestines in a normal way. Bowel obstructions may be caused by a twist in the intestines, hernias, inflammation, scar tissue from surgery, and certain types of cancer, such as cancers of the stomach, colon, and ovary. They may also be caused by conditions that affect the muscles of the intestine, such as paralysis. Signs and symptoms may include pain and swelling in the abdomen, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and problems passing gas. Most bowel obstructions occur in the small intestine. Also called intestinal obstruction.
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Braf Kinase Inhibitor
(… KY-nays in-HIH-bih-ter)
A substance that blocks a protein called BRAF. BRAF is a kinase enzyme that helps control cell growth and signaling. It may be found in a mutated (changed) form in some types of cancer, including melanoma and colorectal cancer. Blocking mutated BRAF kinase proteins may help keep cancer cells from growing. Some BRAF kinase inhibitors are used to treat cancer.
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Brain
(brayn)
The organ inside the head that controls all body functions of a human being. Made up of billions of nerve cells, the brain is protected by the cranium (the bones that form the head). It is made up of three major parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and controls thinking, learning, problem solving, emotions, memory, speech, reading, writing, and voluntary movement. The cerebellum controls fine motor movement, balance, and posture. The brain stem controls breathing, heart rate, and the nerves and muscles used to see, hear, walk, talk, and eat. The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system.
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Brain metastasis
(brayn meh-TAS-tuh-sis)
Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the brain.
