lymphoma:

cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, such as in the lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus.

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

a technique that employs a magnetic field to provide images of the internal structure of the body; computer-generated images from the magnetic frequencies correspond to particular structures in the body.

managed care:

an entity that assumes both the clinical and financial responsibility for the provision of health care for a defined population.

margin:

border between a tumor and normal tissue.

mastectomy:

excision of all or part of the breast.

medical oncologist:

physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, especially in the use of chemotherapy to treat cancer.

metastasis:

the spread of cancer from its original site to one or more additional body sites.

modified radical mastectomy:

removal of the breast, skin, nipple, areola, and most of the axillary lymph nodes on the same side, leaving the chest muscles intact.

neoadjuvant therapy:

use of anticancer drugs before initial surgery or radiation treatment.

neutropenia:

low neturophil (a type of white blood cell) count; this is associated with high risk of infection. nonseminomatous: subtype of testicular cancer.

open colectomy:

removal of part or all of the colon through abdominal surgery.

orchiectomy:

removal of one or both testes.

palliation:

the act of relieving or soothing a symptom, such as pain, without actually curing the cause.

palliative care:

treatment of symptoms associated with the effects of cancer and its treatment.

pancreatico-duodenectomy:

excision of all or part of the pancreas together with the duodenum.

perioperative:

around the time of operation.

peripheral stem cell:

a cell collected from blood that is capable of producing diverse cell types.

pneumonectomy:

surgery to remove part or all of the lung.

proctitis:

inflammation of the mucous membrane of the rectum.

prostate specific antigen:

a protein found in the blood that may be elevated in patients with prostate cancer.

Q-twist (Quality-Adjusted Time Without Symptoms or Toxicity):

a statistical technique that brings quality of life factors into the analysis of treatment regimens.

quadrantectomy:

a partial mastectomy in which the quarter of the breast that contains tumor is removed.

radiation oncologist:

physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, especially in the use of x-rays (radiation) to treat cancer.

radical prostatectomy:

the removal of the prostate and the surrounding tissue as a treatment for prostate cancer.