Glossary
Abdomen - Part of the body that contains all the structures between the chest and the pelvis (a person's hip structure). Abdomen is usually referred to as “belly” by most people. The word ‘abdomen’ was derived from the Latin "abdodere", which means ‘to hide’. The idea was to indicate whatever eaten is hidden in the abdomen.
Abdominal cavity - The cavity within the abdomen (the space between the abdominal wall and the spine).
Abdominal mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining of abdominal cavity, also known as peritoneal mesothelioma.
Acute pain - Pain that comes on quickly and can be severe, but remains a relatively short time period.
Adjuvant Therapy - treatment used in addition to the main medical care.
Abnormal - deviating from normal standard; not normal.
AJCC Staging System (TNM system) - American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system that explains the extent of a cancer's spread (in Roman numerals from 0 through IV).
Alopecia - The lack or loss of hair from areas of the body where hair is usually found. Alopecia can be a side effect of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.
Alveoli - Tiny air sacs at the end of the bronchioles in the lungs. Alveoli help in oxygen/blood exchange. Asbestosis, a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers and dust, is mainly affecting Alveoli.
Anemia - A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal.
Angiogenesis - New blood vessel formation. Tumor angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow. This is caused by the release of chemicals by the tumor.
Angiogenesis Inhibitor - A substance that may prevent the formation of blood vessels. In anticancer therapy, an angiogenesis inhibitor prevents the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow.
Angiostatin - A piece of protein produced by some tumors and normally used in blood clotting. It can be made in the laboratory as well. Angiostatin is being studied in cancer treatment. It appears to prevent the development of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow.
Antiangiogenesis - Prevention of the growth of new blood vessels
Asbestos - a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral popular in manufacturing and construction industries as it is strong, non-flammable, and heat and chemical resistant
Asbestosis - scarring and damaging of the lung tissues caused by inhalation of asbestos particles and dust.
Ascites - Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen that may cause swelling. In late-stage cancer, tumor cells may be found in the fluid in the abdomen. Ascites also occurs in patients with liver disease.
Benign - Not cancerous. Benign tumors may grow larger but do not spread to other parts of the body.
Biopsy - The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue. Three most common types of biopsy are incisional biopsy, in which only a sample of tissue is removed; excisional biopsy, in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed; and needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Brachytherapy - A type of radiation therapy in which radioactive material sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters is placed directly into or near a tumor. Brachytherapy is also known as radiation brachytherapy, internal radiation therapy, and implant radiation therapy.
Breakthrough pain - Intense increases in pain that occur with rapid onset even when pain-control medication is being used. Breakthrough pain can occur spontaneously or in relation to a specific activity.
Bronchoscopy - A procedure that uses a bronchoscope (a thin, lighted tube with a light and a lens for viewing) to examine the inside of the trachea, bronchi (air passages that lead to the lungs), and lungs. The bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth. Bronchoscopy may be used to detect cancer or to perform some treatment procedures.
Butchart Staging System - The staging system often used for mesothelioma. It is divided into Stages I through IV with the levels determined by the tissue involved.
Carcinogen - Any substance that causes cancer.
Carcinogenesis - The process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells.
CAT scan (CT scan) - Computerized Axial Tomography scan. A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles; the pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. CAT scan is also known as computerized axial tomography scan, computed tomography scan, CT scan, and computerized tomography.
Chemotherapy - Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
Chronic pain - Pain that can range from mild to severe, and persists or progresses over a long period of time.
Combination Chemotherapy - Treatment using more than one anticancer drug
Decortication - Removal of part or all the external surface of an organ.
Diagnostic - Using skilled and scientific procedures to establish the cause and nature of a disease.
Double-Blind - A clinical trial in which neither the medical staff nor the person knows which of several possible therapies the person is receiving.
Dyspnea - Difficult, painful breathing or shortness of breath
Epidemiology - The study of the patterns, causes, and control of disease in groups of people.
Epithelial - Refers to the cells that line the internal and external surfaces of the body.
Etiology - The cause or origin of disease.
Gene - The functional and physical unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring. Genes are pieces of DNA, and most genes contain the information for making a specific protein.
Gene Therapy - Treatment that alters a gene. In studies of gene therapy for cancer, researchers are trying to improve the body's natural ability to fight the disease or to make the cancer cells more sensitive to other kinds of therapy.
IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) - A type of 3-dimensional radiation therapy that uses computer-generated images to show the size and shape of the tumor. Thin beams of radiation of different intensities are aimed at the tumor from many angles. This type of radiation therapy reduces the damage to healthy tissue near the tumor.
Immunotherapy - Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer, infections, and other diseases. It is also used to lessen certain side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. Agents used in immunotherapy include monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, and vaccines. Immunotherapy is also known as biological therapy, biotherapy, biological response modifier therapy, and BRM therapy.
Laparoscope - A thin, tube-like instrument used to look at tissues and organs inside the abdomen. A laparoscope has a light and a lens for viewing and may have a tool to remove tissue.
Laparoscopy - A procedure that uses a laparoscope, inserted through the abdominal wall, to examine the inside of the abdomen. A laparoscope 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.
Latency period - the period between the actual exposure to a hazardous substance such as asbestos and the appearance of illness such as mesothelioma.
Mediastinoscopy - A procedure in which a mediastinoscope is used to examine the organs in the area between the lungs and nearby lymph nodes. A mediastinoscope 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. The mediastinoscope is inserted into the chest through an incision above the breastbone. This procedure is usually done to get a tissue sample from the lymph nodes on the right side of the chest.
Malignant - Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
Mesothelin - A protein found on the surface of certain types of normal cells and cancer cells. Mesothelin may help these cells stick together and send signals. A higher-than-normal amount of mesothelin is found on some cancer cells, including mesothelioma, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer.
Mesothelioma - A benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor affecting the lining of the chest or abdomen. Exposure to asbestos particles in the air increases the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.
Mesothelium - A membrane that forms the lining of the pleura (thoracal cavity), peritoneum (abdominal cavity) and pericardium (heart sac), and produces lubricating fluids to allow the heart and lungs to glide against neighboring structures.
Metastasis - The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed by cells that have spread is called a “metastatic tumor” or a “metastasis.” The metastatic tumor contains cells that are like those in the primary tumor. The plural form of metastasis (meh-TAS-tuh-sis) is metastases (meh-TAS-tuh-SEEZ).
MRI - A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. MRI is also called magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and NMRI.
Multimodality therapy - Therapy that combines more than one method of treatment.
Mutation - Any change in the DNA of a cell. Mutations may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or they may be caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment. Mutations can be harmful, beneficial, or have no effect. If they occur in cells that make eggs or sperm, they can be inherited; if mutations occur in other types of cells, they are not inherited. Certain mutations may lead to cancer or other diseases.
Oncogenes - A gene that normally directs cell growth. If altered, an oncogene can promote or allow the uncontrolled growth of cancer. Alterations can be inherited or caused by an environmental exposure to carcinogens.
Oncogenesis - Generation of tumors
Opioid - A powerful drug used to treat moderate to severe pain. Opioids are similar to opiates such as morphine and codeine, but they do not contain and are not made from opium. Endorphin, Fentanyl and methadone are some common opioids.
Palliative - remedy that alleviates pain without curing
Paracentesis - A procedure in which a thin needle or tube is put into the abdomen to remove fluid from the peritoneal cavity (the space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, and the liver).
Para Occupational Exposure - Asbestos exposure through the fibers that cling to worker’s clothing, shoes, skin and hair.
Parenchyma - The essential or functional elements of an organ (For example, alveoli are part of the parenchyma of the lung).
Pathologist - A physician trained to examine and evaluate cells, tissue, and organs for the presence of disease.
Pericardium - The protective membranous sac enclosing the heart
Peritoneal - Having to do with the parietal peritoneum (the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and pelvic cavity) and visceral peritoneum (the tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdomen, including the intestines).
Peritoneal cavity - The space within the abdomen that contains the intestines, the stomach, and the liver. It is bound by thin membranes.
Peritoneal fluid - A liquid that is made in the abdominal cavity to lubricate the surface of the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and pelvic cavity and covers most of the organs in the abdomen.
Peritoneal infusion - A method of delivering fluids and drugs directly into the abdominal cavity through a thin tube. It is also known as intraperitoneal infusion.
Peritoneal mesothelioma - Cancer of the peritoneum
Peritoneal perfusion - A method of delivering fluids and drugs directly to tumors in the peritoneal cavity.
Peritoneum - The tissue that lines the abdominal wall and covers most of the organs in the abdomen.
Phagocytosis - The process by which a phagocyte (a type of white blood cell) surrounds and destroys foreign substances (such as bacteria) and removes dead cells.
Photodynamic therapy - A new cancer therapy in which treatment is done with drugs that become active when exposed to light. These activated drugs may kill cancer cells.
Pleura - A thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity. It protects and cushions the lungs. This tissue secretes a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant, allowing the lungs to move smoothly in the chest cavity while breathing.
Pleural cavity - The space enclosed by the pleura, which is a thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity.
Pleural effusion - An abnormal collection of fluid between the thin layers of tissue (pleura) lining the lung and the wall of the chest cavity.
Pleural mesothelioma - Cancer of the lining of the lungs (pleura). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma, which accounts for about 75% of all types of malignant mesothelioma.
Positron Emission Tomography Scan (PET scan) - A procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein, and a scanner is used to make detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body where the glucose is used. Because cancer cells often use more glucose than normal cells, the pictures can be used to find cancer cells in the body.
Pneumonitis - Inflammation of the lungs. This may be caused by disease, infection, radiation therapy, allergy, or irritation of lung tissue by inhaled substances.
Prognosis - The likely outcome or course of a disease; the chance of improvement/recovery or recurrence.
Proto oncogenes - a normal gene that can become an oncogene due to mutations or increased expression.
Pulmonary - Having to do with the lungs
Pulmonologist - a physician specially trained in the treatment of lung disease.
Radiation therapy (Radiotherapy) - The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body.
Radiograph - An image produced on a radiosensitive surface, such as a photographic film, by radiation other than visible light, especially by x-rays passed through an object or by photographing a fluoroscopic image. Also called shadowgraph, skiagram; Also called skiagraph.
Thoracentesis - Removal of fluid from the pleural cavity through a needle inserted between the ribs. Thoracentesis is used in mesothelioma diagnosis.
Thrombocyte (platelet) - A type of blood cell that helps prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form.
Thrombocytopenia - A decrease in the number of platelets in the blood that may result in easy bruising and excessive bleeding from wounds or bleeding in mucous membranes and other tissues.
Tomotherapy - A revolutionary way to treat cancer, which combines CT scanning technology with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, or IMRT.
Tumor - An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Tumor is also called neoplasm.
VATS (Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery) - A surgical procedure performed inside the chest with the help of a camera on a tube. In VATS, several small cuts (incisions) are made in the chest. Doctors insert the tube with the camera through one incision, and tools to work with through the others. The camera helps the doctors see inside the chest to operate. In recent years, VATS has found increasing use in mesothelioma diagnosis.
Vermiculite - A naturally occurring mineral that expands with the application of heat. It is mainly used for insulation and sometimes found contaminated with asbestos.
X-ray - A type of high-energy radiation. In low doses, x-rays are used to diagnose diseases by making pictures of the inside of the body, and in high doses, they are used to treat cancer.