Disease - Key Terms

Chapter 3 - AAPC

acute

sudden severe; having a short course

benign

not recurrent, or malignant, favorable for recovery, describing a tumor that does not spread (metastasize) to other tissues

carcinoma

a malignant neoplasm composed of epithelial cells

chronic

of long duration, progressing slowly

cyst

an abnormal filled sac or pouch; used as a root meaning a normal bladder or sac, such as the urinary bladder or gallbladder

edema

accumulation of fluid in the tissues, swelling; adjective: edematous

eitology

the cause of a disease

gram stain

a laboratory staining procedure that divides bacteria into two groups: gram positive. which stains purple and gram negative which stains red

hernia

protrusion of an organ through an abnormal opening; commonly called a rupture

immunity

all our defenses against infectious disease

inflammation

a localized response to tissue injury characterized by heat, pain, redness, and swelling

lesion

a distinct area of damaged tissue, an injury or wound

malignant

growing worse, harmful, tending to cause death describing an invasive tumor that can spread (metastasize) to other tissues

metastasis

spread from one part of the body to another, characteristic of cancer; verb is metastasize, adjective: metastatic

microorganism

an organism too small to be seen without the aid of a microscope

necrosis

death of tissue (root necr/o means “death”); adjective: necrotic

neoplasia

an abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue; from prefix ‘neo’ meaning new

neoplasm

a tumor, or abnormal growth, which may be benign or malignant (root onc/o and suffix -oma refer to neoplasms)

parasite

an organism that grows on or in another organism (the host), causing damage to it

pathogen

an organism capable of causing disease (root path/o means disease)

phagocytosis

the ingestion of organisms such as invading bacteria or small particles of waste material by a cell (root phag/o means “to eat”); the phagocytic cell, or phagocyte, then destroys the ingested material

prolapse

a dropping or downward displacement of an organ or part ptosis

pus

a product of inflammation consisting of fluid and white blood cells (root py/o)

sarcoma

a malignant neoplasm arising from connective tissue (from Greek root sarco, meaning “flesh”); adjective: sarcomatous

sepsis

the presence of harmful microorganisms or their toxins in the blood or other tissues; adjective: septic

toxin

a poison; adjective: toxic (roots: tox/o, toxic/o)

trauma

a physical or psychological wound or injury