Chapter 3 Disease and Treatment Key Terms

acute

Sudden, severe; having a short course

benign

Not recurrent or malignant; favorable for recovery; describing tumors that do not spread

carcinoma

A malignant neoplasm composed of epithelial cells (from Greek root carcino, meaning “crab”) (adjective: carcinomatous)

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 (root: cyst/o)

edema

Accumulation of fluid in the tissues; swelling; adjective: edematous

etiology

the cause of a disease

gram stain

A laboratory staining procedure that divides bacteria into two groups: gram-positive, which stain blue, and gram-negative, which stain red

hernia

Protrusion of an organ through an abnormal opening; 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, adj: metastatic

microorganism

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

necrosis

Death of tissue (root necr/o=death); adj: necrotic

neoplasia

An abnormal and uncontrolled growth of tissue; from prefix neo- meaning “new” and root plasm meaning “formation

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

anesthesia

Loss of the ability to feel pain, as by administration of a drug

auscultation

Listening for sounds within the body, usually within the chest or abdomen

biopsy

Removal of a small amount of tissue for microscopic examination

cautery

Destruction of tissue by a damaging agent, such as a harmful chemical, heat, or electric current (electrocautery); cauterization

chemotherapy

Use of chemicals to treat disease. The term is often applied specifically to the treatment of cancer with chemicals

diagnosis

The process of determining the cause and nature of an illness

endoscope

An instrument for examining the inside of an organ or cavity through a body opening or small incision; most endoscopes use fiberoptics for viewing

excision

Removal by cutting (suffix: -ectomy)

fixation

Holding or fastening a structure in a fixed position (suffix: -pexy)

grading

A method for evaluating a tumor based on microscopic examination of the cells

immunotherapy

Treatment that involves stimulation or suppression of the immune system, either specifically or nonspecifically

incision

A cut, as for surgery; also the act of cutting (suffix: -tomy)

inspection

Visual examination of the body

laser

A device that transforms light into a beam of intense heat and power; used for surgery and diagnosis

ophthalmoscope

An instrument for examining the interior of the eye

otoscope

Instrument used to examine the ears

palliative therapy

Providing relief but not cure; a treatment that provides such relief

palpation

Examining by placing the hands or fingers on the surface of the body to determine characteristics such as texture, temperature, movement, and consistency

percussion

Tapping the body lightly but sharply to assess the condition of the underlying tissue by the sounds obtained

prognosis

Prediction of the course and outcome of a disease

radiography

Use of x-rays passed through the body to make a visual record (radiograph) of internal structures on specially sensitized film; roentgenography

remission

A lessening of disease symptoms; the period during which this decrease occurs or the period when no sign of a disease exists

sign

Objective evidence of disease that can be observed or tested; examples are fever, rash, high blood pressure, and blood or urine abnormalities; an objective symptom

sphygmomanometer

Blood pressure apparatus or blood pressure cuff; pressure is read in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) when the heart is contracting (systolic pressure) and when the heart is relaxing (diastolic pressure), and is reported as systolic/diastolic

staging

The process of classifying malignant tumors for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

stethoscope

An instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the body (from the Greek root steth/o, meaning “chest”

surgery

A method for treating disease or injury by manual operations

suture

To unite parts by stitching them together; also the thread or other material used in that process or the seam formed by surgical stitching (suffix: -rhaphy)

symptom

Any evidence of disease; sometimes limited to subjective evidence of disease, as experienced by the individual, such as pain, dizziness, and weakness

therapy

Treatment; intervention

vital signs

Measurements that reflect basic functions necessary to maintain life

meditation

Process of clearing the mind by concentrating on the inner self while controlling breathing and perhaps repeating a word or phrase (mantra)

naturopathy

A therapeutic philosophy of helping people to heal themselves by developing healthy lifestyles; naturopaths may use some of the methods of conventional medicine (from nature and path/o, meaning “disease”)

osteopathy

A system of therapy based on the theory that the body can overcome disease when it has normal structure, a favorable environment, and proper nutrition. Osteopaths use standard medical practices for diagnosis and treatment but stress the identification and correction of faulty body structure (from oste/o, meaning “bone,” and path, meaning “disease”)