Medical Terminology Chapter 6

aden/o

gland

adenoid/o

lymphnode

an-, ana-

up, upward, back, again, repetition, excessive, or apart

anti-

against

bacter/i, bateri/o

bacteria

brachy-

short

carcin/o

cancer

cyt/o, -cyte

cell

edem-, edemat/o

swelling

fer/o

carry or bring

fung/i

fungus

gen-, gen/o, -gen

produce

globin/o, -globulin

protein

immun/o

exempt, immunity

inter-

between

-ize

verb ending meaning to use and act like

lymph/o

clear water or fluid

lymphaden/o

lymph node

lymphangi/o

lymphatic vessels

lymphocyt/o

small white blood cell

mamm/o

breast

mega-, megal/o

abnormally large

meta-

after or behind

neo-, ne/o

new

-oma

tumor

onc/o

tumor

phag/o

eating or swallowing

-phylactic, -phylaxis

defending or protecting against disease

-plasm

living substance, tissue

sarc/o

flesh

splen/o

spleen

-stasis, -static

constant

suppress/o

pressed under or push under

tele/o

distance, end

therap/o, therapeut/o

therapy

thym/o

thymus gland

-tic

relating to a process or state

tonsill/o

tonsils

tox/o

toxic

acquired immunity

immunity you develop over your lifetime

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

chronic immune system disease caused by HIV that damages the body’s immune system and interferes with its ability to fight disease

adenocarcinoma (-s or -ta)

a type of cancer that starts in the glands that line the insides of the organs

adjuvant therapy (-ies)

treatment given after the main treatment to reduce the chance of cancer coming back by destroying any remaining cancer cells

allergen

a substance that causes an allergic reaction

allergic reaction

an abnormal reaction of the immune system to a foreign substance

anaphylaxis

severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction

angiogenesis

the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels, formed in the earlier stage of vasulogenesis

anthrax

serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis

antiangiogenesis

treatments that stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels

antibiotic(s)

type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria

antigen (AG, Ag)

a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies

antigen-antibody reaction

a particular chemical interaction between antibodies generated by B cells of the white blood cells and antigens during the immune reaction

antihistamines

medicines that treat allergy symptoms by blocking the effects of histamine

antineoplastic drug(s)

medications used to treat cancer

antiviral(s)

medications that help your body fight off certain viruses that can cause disease

autoimmune disorder(s)

a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells

bacillus(-i)

a disease causing bacterium

bactericide(s)

substance which kills bacteria

bacterium(-a)

a member of a large group of unicellular microorganisms which have cell walls but lack organelles and an organized nucleus, including some that can cause disease

benign

not harmful in effect

bioimpedance spectroscopy

noninvasive, low-cost technology that can accurately measure a patient’s total body water, extracellular and intracellular fluid volumes in a clinical setting

breast self examination (BSE)

brachytherapy

type of internal radiation that uses radiation that uses radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors

candidiasis(-es)

yeast infection; a fungal infection typically on the skin or mucous membranes cause by candida

carcinoma(-s or -ta) (Ca, CA)

cancer that forms in the epithelial tissue

carcinoma in situ (CIS)

a group of abnormal cells that have not spread from the location where they first formed

complement system

part of the immune system that enhances the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and attack the pathogen’s cell membrane

corticosteroid drug(s)

class of steroid hormones that are produced int he adrenal cortex of vertebrates as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones

COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 virus

acute disease in humans caused by a coronavirus

cytokine(s)

small proteins that are crucial in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells and blood cells

cytomegalovirus (CMV)

genus of viruses in the order of herpesvirales

cytotoxic drug(s)

chemotherapy; cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen

dendritic cell(s)

professional antigen presenting cells that inform the fight against invasive pathogens while enforcing tolerance to self and harmless environmental antigens

ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

the presence of abnormal cells inside a milk duct in the breast

ebola

a virus that causes severe bleeding, organ failure, and can lead to death

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

commonly used analytical biochemistry assay which uses a solid-phase type of enzyme immunoassay to detect the presence of a ligand in a liquid sample using antibodies directed against the protein to be measured

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)

type of herpes virus

fungus (-i)

any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds and mushrooms

giardiasis

intestinal infection caused by a giardia parasite which can be found in contaminated drinking water

hemolytic

relating to or involving the rupture or destruction of red blood cells

herpes zoster (HZ)

shingles

Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL)

cancer of the part of the immune system called the lymphatic system

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

virus that damages the immune system and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infection and disease

immunity

state of being insusceptible or resistant to a noxious agent or process, especially a pathogen or infectious disease

immunodeficiency disorder(s)

impair the immune system’s ability to defend the body against foreign or abnormal cells that invade or attack it

immunoglobulin(s) (IG)

glycoprotein molecules produced by plasma cells

immunosuppressant

a class of medicines that inhibit or decrease the intensity of the immune response in the body

immunotherapy

treatment of disease by activating or suppressing the immune system

infectious mononucleosis (mono)

an infection with the epstein-barr virus

infiltrating ductal carcinoma

a type of breast cancer that starts in the milk ducts of the breast and moves into nearby tissue

infiltrating lobular carcinoma

an invasive type of cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands of the breast

inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)

a rare, rapidly developing cancer that makes the breast red, swollen, and tender

influenza (flu)

common viral infection that attacks the lungs, nose, and throat

interferon(s)

group of signaling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses

interleukin(s)

group of cytokines that are expressed and secreted by white blood cells as well as some other body cells

Kaposi’s sarcoma

cancer that causes lesions in the soft tissues

lumpectomy

a type of breast cancer surgery in which the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue called the margin is removed

Lyme disease

a tick-borne illness caused by the bacterium borrelia burgdorferi

lymphadenitis(ides)

immune system glands that usually enlarge in response to a bacterial or viral infection but sudden swelling of many lymph nodes may indicate cancer

lymphadenopathy

immune system glands that usually enlarge in response to a bacterial or viral infection but sudden swelling of many lymph nodes may indicate cancer