acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (im-you-noh-deh-FISH-en-see) - aka AIDS, the most advanced and fatal stage of an HIV infections

□ allergen (AL-er-jen) - a substance that produces an allergic reaction in an individual

□ anaphylaxis (an-ah-fih-LACK-sis) - aka systemic reaction, a severe response to an allergen

□ antibiotics - medications capable of inhibiting growth or killing pathogenic bacterial microorganisms

□ antibody (AN-tih-bod-ee) - a disease-fighting protein created by the immune system in response to the presence of a specific antigen

□ antifungal (an-tih-FUNG-gul) - an agent that destroys or inhibits the growth of fungi

□ antigen (AN-tih-jen) - any substance that the body regards as being foreign

□ antigen–antibody reaction - aka immune reaction, involves binding antigens to antibodies

□ autoimmune disorder (aw-toh-ih-MYOUN) - aka autoimmune disease, any of a large group of diseases characterized by a condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues, mistaking healthy cells, tissues, or organs for antigens

□ bacilli (bah-SILL-eye) - rod-shaped, spore-forming bacteria

□ bacteria (back-TEER-ee-ah) - one-celled microscopic organisms

□ benign (bee-NINE) - something that is not life-threatening and does not recur

□ candidiasis (kan-dih-DYE-ah-sis) - aka yeast infection

□ carcinoma (kar-sih-NOH-mah) - a malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue

□ carcinoma in situ (kar-sih-NOH-mah in SIGH-too) - a malignant tumor in its original position that has not yet disturbed or invaded the surrounding tissues

□ complement system (KOM-pleh-ment) - a group of proteins that normally circulate in the blood in an inactive form

□ COVID-19 (KOH-vid) - a highly contagious viral infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus

□ cytokines (SIGH-toh-kyens) - group of proteins such as interferons and interleukins released primarily by the T-cells

□ cytomegalovirus (sigh-toh-meg-ah-loh-VYE-rus) - (CMV), found in most body fluids and most present as a silent infection

□ cytotoxic drug (sigh-toh-TOK-sick) - a medication that kills or damages cells

□ ductal carcinoma in situ (DUCK-tal kar-sih-NOH-mah in SIGH-too) - (DCIS), breast cancer at its earliest stage before the abnormal cells have broken through the wall of the milk ducts

□ hemolytic (hee-moh-LIT-ick) - destroying worn-out erythrocytes and releasing their hemoglobin for reuse

□ herpes zoster (HER-peez ZOS-ter) - (HZ), aka shingles, an acute viral infection characterized by painful skin eruptions that follow the underlying route of an inflamed nerve

□ Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HODJ-kinz lim-FOH-mah) - (HL) aka Hodgkin’s or (Hodgkin) disease, a cancer of the immune system distinguished by the presence of large, cancerous lymphocytes known as Reed-Sternberg cells

□ human immunodeficiency virus (im-you-noh-deh-FISH-en-see) - aka HIV, a blood-borne infection in which the virus damages or kills the T cells of the immune system, causing it to progressively fail, thus leaving the body at risk of developing many life-threatening opportunistic infections

□ immunoglobulins (im-you-noh-GLOB-you-lins) - bind with specific antigens in the antigen-antibody response

□ immunosuppressant (im-you-noh-soo-PRES-ant) - a substance that prevents or reduces the body’s normal response

□ immunotherapy (im-you-noh-THER-ah-pee) - aka biological therapy, a disease treatment that involves either stimulating or repressing the immune response

□ infiltrating ductal carcinoma (in-FILL-tray-ting DUK-tal kar-sih-NOH-mah) - (IDC) starts in the milk duct and invades the fatty breast tissue outside of the duct. Most common form of breast cancer

□ interferons (in-ter-FEAR-onz) - aka (IFNs), are produced in response to the presence of antigens, particularly viruses or tumor cells

□ lymphadenopathy (lim-fad-eh-NOP-ah-thee) - any disease affecting a lymph node or nodes

□ lymphangioma (lim-fan-jee-OH-mah) - a benign tumor formed by an abnormal collection of lymphatic vessels due to a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system

□ lymphedema (lim-feh-DEE-mah) - aka (LE), swelling of the tissues due to an abnormal accumulation of lymph fluid within the tissues

□ lymphocytes (LIM-foh-sights) - aka lymphoid cells, leukocytes that are formed in bone marrow as stem cells

□ lymphoma (lim-FOH-mah) - general term applied to malignancies affecting lymphoid tissues

□ lymphoscintigraphy (lim-foh-sin-TIH-grah-fee) - diagnostic test that is performed to detect damage or malformations of the lymphatic vessels

□ macrophage (MACK-roh-fayj) - a type of leukocyte surrounds and kills invading cells

□ malaria (mah-LAY-ree-ah) - caused by a parasite that lives in certain mosquitoes and is transferred to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito

□ malignant (mah-LIG-nant) - harmful, capable of spreading, and potentially life threatening

□ mammography (mam-OG-rah-fee) - an x-ray examination of the breasts to detect the presence of tumors or precancerous cells

□ metastasis (meh-TAS-tah-sis) - latin word meaning transition

□ metastasize (meh-TAS-tah-sighz) - to spread from one place to another

□ myoma (my-OH-mah) - an example of a benging tumor made up of muscle tissue

□ myosarcoma (my-oh-sahr-KOH-mah) - an example of a malignant tumor derived from muscle tissue

□ non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (non-HODJ-kinz lim-FOH-mah) - (NHL) the more common type, refers to all lymphomas other than Hodgkin’s lymphoma

□ opportunistic infection (op-ur-too-NIHS-tick) - caused by a pathogen that does not normally produce an illness in healthy humansuno

□ osteosarcoma (oss-tee-oh-sar-KOH-mah) - a hard-tissue sarcoma that usually involves the upper shaft of the long bones, pelvis, or knee

□ parasite (PAR-ah-sight) - a plant or animal that lives on or within another living organism at the expense of that organism

□ rabies (RAY-beez) - an acute viral infection that is transmitted to humans through the bite or saliva of an infected animal

□ rickettsia (rih-KET-see-ah) - small bacterium that lives in lice, fleas, ticks, and mites

□ rubella (roo-BELL-ah) - aka german measles, is a viral infection characterized by a low-grade fever, swollen glands, inflamed eyes, and a fine, pink rash

□ sarcoma (sar-KOH-mah) - a malignant tumor that arises from connective tissues, including hard and, more commonly, soft tissues

□ spirochetes (SPY-roh-keets) - long, slender, spiral-shaped bacteria that have flexible walls and are capable of movement

□ splenomegaly (splee-noh-MEG-ah-lee) - abnormal enlargement of the spleen

□ staphylococci (staf-ih-loh-KOCK-sigh) - group of about 30 species of bacteria that form irregular groups or clusters resembling grapes

□ streptococci (strep-toh-KOCK-sigh) - bacteria that form a chain

□ systemic reaction (sis-TEH-mik) - aka anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock, is a severe response to an allergen

□ teletherapy (tel-eh-THER-ah-pee) - radiation therapy administered at a distance from the body

□ toxoplasmosis (tock-soh-plaz-MOH-sis) - a disease caused by a parasite that is most commonly transmitted from pets to humans by contact with contaminated animal feces

□ varicella (var-ih-SEL-ah) - (VSZ) aka chickenpox, caused by the herpes virus Varicella zoster and is highly contagious