Granulocyte
colony-stimulating factor. A colony-stimulating factor
that stimulates the production of neutrophils (a type of
white blood cell). It is a cytokine that belongs to the
family of drugs called hematopoietic (blood-forming)
agents. Also called filgrastim.
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A substance that is being
studied as a treatment for relieving hot flashes in
women with breast cancer. It belongs to the family of
drugs called anticonvulsants.
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(GAWL-blad-er)
The pear-shaped organ
found below the liver. Bile is concentrated and stored
in the gallbladder.
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A drug that lowers blood
calcium. Used as treatment for hypercalcemia (too much
calcium in the blood) and for cancer that has spread to
the bone (bone metastases).
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A type of radiation
therapy that uses gamma radiation. Gamma radiation is a
type of high-energy radiation that is different from
x-rays.
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Radiation therapy in which
high-energy rays are aimed at a tumor from many angles
in a single treatment session.
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An antiviral agent used to
prevent or treat cytomegalovirus infections that may
occur when the body's immune system is suppressed. In
gene therapy, ganciclovir is used with an altered herpes
simplex virus-1 gene to kill advanced melanoma cells and
brain tumor cells.
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A complex molecule that
contains both lipids (fats) and carbohydrates (sugars)
and is found in the plasma (outer) membrane of many
kinds of cells. Several different types of gangliosides
have been identified.
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(gas-TREK-toe-mee)
An operation to remove all
or part of the stomach.
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(GAS-trik)
Having to do with the
stomach.
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(GAS-trik AT-ro-fee)
A condition in which the
stomach muscles shrink and become weak. The digestive
(peptic) glands may also shrink, resulting in a lack of
digestive juices.
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(gas-tri-NO-ma)
A tumor that causes
overproduction of gastric acid. It usually occurs in the
islet cells of the pancreas but may also occur in the
esophagus, stomach, spleen, or lymph nodes.
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(GAS-tro-en-ter-AHL-o-jist)
A doctor who specializes
in diagnosing and treating disorders of the digestive
system.
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(GAS-tro-in-TES-tih-nul)
GI. Refers to the stomach
and intestines.
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GIST. A type of tumor that
usually begins in cells in the wall of the
gastrointestinal tract. It can be benign or malignant.
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(GAS-tro-in-TES-tih-nul)
The stomach and
intestines.
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(GAS-tro-skope)
A thin, lighted tube used
to view the inside of the stomach.
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(gas-TRAHS-ko-pee)
An examination of the
inside of the stomach using a thin, lighted tube (called
a gastroscope) passed through the mouth and esophagus.
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An antineoplastic
antibiotic drug that belongs to the family of drugs
called ansamycins.
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A drug that may inhibit
the growth of malignant tumors.
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An anticancer drug that
belongs to the family of drugs called antimetabolites.
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A type of monoclonal
antibody used in cancer detection or therapy. Monoclonal
antibodies are laboratory-produced substances that can
locate and bind to cancer cells.
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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.
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The total loss or absence
of a gene.
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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.
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Cells that have been
altered to contain different genetic material than they
originally contained.
|
(an-es-THEE-zha)
Drugs that cause loss of
feeling or awareness and put the person to sleep.
|
Official nonbrand names by
which medicines are known. Generic names usually refer
to the chemical name of the drug.
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Inherited; having to do
with information that is passed from parents to
offspring through genes in sperm and egg cells.
|
A communication process
between a specially trained health professional and a
person concerned about the genetic risk of disease. The
person's family and personal medical history may be
discussed, and counseling may lead to genetic testing.
|
Alterations in DNA that
may indicate an increased risk of developing a specific
disease or disorder.
|
Analyzing DNA to look for
a genetic alteration that may indicate an increased risk
for developing a specific disease or disorder.
|
(GEN-ih-toe-YOO-rin-air-ee)
The parts of the body that
play a role in reproduction, getting rid of waste
products in the form of urine, or both.
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The complete genetic
material of an organism.
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Tumors that begin in the
cells that give rise to sperm or eggs. They can occur
virtually anywhere in the body and can be either benign
or malignant.
|
The reproductive cells of
the body, specifically, egg or sperm cells.
|
Free of bacteria,
disease-causing viruses, and other organisms that can
cause infection.
|
(jer-mih-NO-ma)
The most frequent type of
germ-cell tumor in the brain.
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A gene change in the
body's reproductive cells (egg or sperm) that becomes
incorporated into the DNA of every cell in the body of
offspring; germline mutations are passed on from parents
to offspring. Also called hereditary mutation.
|
A fibrous envelope of
tissue that surrounds the kidney. Also called renal
fascia.
|
A rare cancer in women of
childbearing age in which cancer cells grow in the
tissues that are formed in the uterus after conception.
Also called gestational trophoblastic tumor, gestational
trophoblastic neoplasia, molar pregnancy, or
choriocarcinoma.
|
A rare cancer in women of
childbearing age in which cancer cells grow in the
tissues that are formed in the uterus after conception.
Also called gestational trophoblastic disease,
gestational trophoblastic tumor, molar pregnancy, or
choriocarcinoma.
|
A rare cancer in women of
childbearing age in which cancer cells grow in the
tissues that are formed in the uterus after conception.
Also called gestational trophoblastic disease,
gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, molar pregnancy, or
choriocarcinoma.
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An antitumor drug that
belongs to the family of drugs called topoisomerase
inhibitors. It is a camptothecin analogue.
|
An herb with a root that
has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical
problems. It may have anticancer effects.
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Gastrointestinal stromal
tumor. A type of tumor that usually begins in cells in
the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be benign
or malignant.
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An organ that produces and
releases one or more substances for use in the body.
Some glands produce fluids that affect tissues or
organs. Others produce hormones.
|
A system of grading
prostate cancer cells to determine the best treatment
and to predict how well a person is likely to do. A low
Gleason score means the cancer cells are very similar to
normal prostate cells; a high Gleason score means the
cancer cells are very different from normal.
|
A general term for many
types of tumors of the central nervous system, including
astrocytomas, ependymal tumors, glioblastoma multiforme,
and primitive neuroectodermal tumors.
|
(glee-o-blas-TOE-ma)
A general term that refers
to malignant astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor.
|
(glee-o-blas-TOE-ma
mul-tih-FOR-may)
A type of brain tumor that
forms from glial (supportive) tissue of the brain. It
grows very quickly and has cells that look very
different from normal cells. Also called grade IV
astrocytoma.
|
(glee-O-ma)
A cancer of the brain that
comes from glial, or supportive, cells.
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A type of glioma (cancer
of the brain that comes from glial, or supportive,
cells).
|
(GLAH-tis)
The middle part of the
larynx; the area where the vocal cords are located.
|
(GLOO-kuh-guh-NO-ma)
A rare pancreatic tumor
that produces a hormone called glucagon. Glucagonomas
can produce symptoms similar to diabetes.
|
A compound that belongs to
the family of compounds called corticosteroids
(steroids). Glucocorticoids affect metabolism and have
anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. They
may be naturally produced (hormones) or synthetic
(drugs).
|
The process of making
glucose (sugar) from its own breakdown products or from
the breakdown products of lipids (fats) or proteins.
Gluconeogenesis occurs mainly in cells of the liver or
kidney.
|
A type of sugar; the chief
source of energy for living organisms.
|
An anticancer drug that
belongs to the family of drugs called alkylating agents.
|
An amino acid used in
nutrition therapy. It is also being studied for the
treatment of diarrhea caused by radiation therapy to the
pelvis.
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A process in which glucose
(sugar) is partially broken down by cells in enzyme
reactions that do not need oxygen. Glycolysis is one
method that cells use to produce energy. When glycolysis
is linked with other enzyme reactions that use oxygen,
more complete breakdown of glucose is possible and more
energy is produced.
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A protein that has sugar
molecules attached to it.
|
gp 100. A tumor-specific
antigen used in the development of cancer vaccines.
|
A type of long, unbranched
polysaccharide molecule. Glycosaminoglycans are major
structural components of cartilage and are also found in
the cornea of the eye.
|
Granulocyte-macrophage
colony-stimulating factor. A colony-stimulating factor
that stimulates the production of white blood cells,
especially granulocytes and macrophages, and cells (in
the bone marrow) that are precursors of platelets. It is
a cytokine that belongs to the family of drugs called
hematopoietic (blood-forming) agents. Also called
sargramostim.
|
A substance used to
stimulate the production of antibodies that fight
certain cancer cells.
|
An enlarged thyroid. It
may be caused by too little iodine in the diet or by
other conditions. Most goiters are not cancer.
|
The part of the
reproductive system that produces and releases eggs
(ovaries) or sperm (testicles/testes).
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A drug that belongs to the
family of drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone
analogues. Goserelin is used to block hormone production
in the ovaries or testicles.
|
An anticancer drug
extracted from the cotton plant.
|
Glycoprotein 100. A
tumor-specific antigen used in the development of cancer
vaccines.
|
An anticancer drug that
belongs to the family of drugs called antitumor
antibiotics. It is an anthracycline.
|
The grade of a tumor
depends on how abnormal the cancer cells look under a
microscope and how quickly the tumor is likely to grow
and spread. Grading systems are different for each type
of cancer.
|
A type of brain tumor that
forms from glial (supportive) tissue of the brain. It
grows very quickly and has cells that look very
different from normal cells. Also called glioblastoma
multiforme.
|
A system for classifying
cancer cells in terms of how abnormal they appear when
examined under a microscope. The objective of a grading
system is to provide information about the probable
growth rate of the tumor and its tendency to spread. The
systems used to grade tumors vary with each type of
cancer. Grading plays a role in treatment decisions.
|
Healthy skin, bone, or
other tissue taken from one part of the body and used to
replace diseased or injured tissue removed from another
part of the body.
|
GVHD. A reaction of
donated bone marrow or peripheral stem cells against a
person's tissue.
|
An immune response to a
person's tumor cells by immune cells present in a
donor's transplanted tissue, such as bone marrow or
peripheral blood.
|
A drug that prevents or
reduces nausea and vomiting. It belongs to the family of
drugs called antiemetics.
|
(GRAN-yoo-lo-site)
A type of white blood cell
that fights bacterial infection. Neutrophils,
eosinophils, and basophils are granulocytes.
|
G-CSF. A
colony-stimulating factor that stimulates the production
of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell). It is a
cytokine that belongs to the family of drugs called
hematopoietic (blood-forming) agents. Also called
filgrastim.
|
A deficiency in the number
of granulocytes, a type of white blood cell.
|
A type of slow-growing,
malignant tumor that usually affects the ovary.
|
The area where the thigh
meets the abdomen.
|
Substances made by the
body that function to regulate cell division and cell
survival. Some growth factors are also produced in the
laboratory and used in biological therapy.
|
Graft-versus-host disease.
A reaction of donated bone marrow or peripheral stem
cells against a person's tissue.
|
Having to do with the
female reproductive tract (including the cervix,
endometrium, fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, and
vagina).
|
(guy-neh-ko-LAH-jik)
Cancer of the female
reproductive tract, including the cervix, endometrium,
fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, and vagina.
|
(guy-neh-ko-LAH-jik on-KOL-o-jist)
A doctor who specializes
in treating cancers of the female reproductive organs.
|
(guy-neh-KAH-lo-jist)
A doctor who specializes
in treating diseases of the female reproductive organs.
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