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Glossary

Showing 241-250 out of 1184 Terms

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  • Colonoscopy

    (KOH-luh-NOS-koh-pee)

    Examination of the inside of the colon using a colonoscope, inserted into the rectum. A colonoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease.

  • Colony stimulating factors

    A substance that stimulates the production of blood cells. Colony-stimulating factors include granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and promegapoietin.

  • Colorectal

    (KOH-loh-REK-tul)

    Having to do with the colon or the rectum.

  • Colorectal cancer

    (KOH-loh-REK-tul KAN-ser)

    Cancer that develops in the colon (the longest part of the large intestine) and/or the rectum (the last several inches of the large intestine before the anus).

  • Combination Chemotherapy

    (KOM-bih-NAY-shun KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)

    Treatment using more than one anticancer drug.

  • Combination therapy

    (KOM-bih-NAY-shun THAYR-uh-pee)

    Therapy that combines more than one method of treatment. Also called multimodality therapy and multimodality treatment.

  • Comfort care

    (KUM-furt kayr)

    Care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. The goal of comfort care is to prevent or treat as early as possible the symptoms of a disease, side effects caused by treatment of a disease, and psychological, social, and spiritual problems related to a disease or its treatment. Also called palliative care, supportive care, and symptom management.

  • Complementary And Alternative Medicine

    (KOM-pleh-MEN-tuh-ree... all-TER-nuh-tiv MEH-dih-sin)

    Forms of treatment that are used in addition to (complementary) or instead of (alternative) standard treatments. These practices generally are not considered standard medical approaches. Standard treatments go through a long and careful research process to prove they are safe and effective, but less is known about most types of complementary and alternative medicine. Complementary and alternative medicine may include dietary supplements, megadose vitamins, herbal preparations, special teas, acupuncture, massage therapy, magnet therapy, spiritual healing, and meditation. Also called CAM.

  • Complementary therapy

    Therapies used in addition to conventional therapy. Some complementary therapies may help relieve certain symptoms of cancer, relieve side effects of conventional cancer therapy, or improve a patient's sense of well-being.

  • Complete blood count

    (kum-PLEET blud kownt)

    A measure of the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. The amount of hemoglobin (substance in the blood that carries oxygen) and the hematocrit (the amount of whole blood that is made up of red blood cells) are also measured. A complete blood count is used to help diagnose and monitor many conditions.