Hyperplasia
- increased production and growth of normal cells in a tissue or organ
- affected part becomes larger but retains its normal form
- e.g. breast growth during pregnancy
Dysplasia
- abnormal development of skin, bone or other tissues
- various stages: mild, moderate and severe
Carcinoma
- cancer that arises in epithelium, the tissue that lines the skin and internal organs of the body
- may occur in any tissue containing epithelial cells
- in many cases, the site of origin of the tumour may be identified by the naure of the cells it contains
- organs may exhibit more than one type of carcinoma; e.g. an adenocarcinoma and a squamous carcinoma may be found in the cervix (but not usually concurrently)
Carcinoma in situ (CIS)
- the earliest stage of cancer spread, in which the tumour is confined to the epithelium
- surgical removal of the growth should lead to cure
Invasive carcinoma
- from stages I - IV
Carcinomatosis
- carcinoma that has spread widely throughout the body
- spread of cancer cells occur via the lymphatic channels and bloodstream and across body cavities, for e.g. the peritoneal cavity
Morbidity
- the state of being diseased
Morbidity rate
- the number of cases of a disease found to occur in a stated number of the population
- usually given as cases per 100,000 or per million (number may be smaller for common diseases)
Mortality (mortality rate)
- the incidence of death in a population in a given period
Prognosis
- the probable outcome of the disease
Adenocarcinoma
- malignant tumour originating in glandular epithelium
Carcinosarcoma
- malignant tumour that is a mixture of carcinoma and sarcoma:
carcinoma: cancer of epithelial tissue, which is skin and tissues covering or lining the internal organs
sarcoma: cancer of connnective tissue, such as bone, cartilage and fat
Serous
- having to do with the serum, i.e. the clear liquid part of blood (i.e. plasma)
Pathogenesis
- The development of a disease. The origin of a disease and the chain of events leading to that disease.
Emesis
- vomiting
Adjuvant
- a pharmacological agent added to a drug to modify or increase or aid its effect. The Latin "adjuvans" means to help, particularly to reach a goal.
