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Cancer and Leukaemia Terms and Titles
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Displaying 72 terms beginning with "M"
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the most important charities in UK, which provides help, support and information to people affected by cancer.
This is a nurse who works for Macmillan Cancer Support and who helps people affected by cancer, in hospitals, hospices or their own homes.
Macrophages are a type of white blood cell, found in the lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system. They help to fight infection by killing off infectious or abnormal cells that include cells which are cancerous.
This is a name given to biological therapy given by targeted treatment.
See MRI Scan.
Malignant describes a growth or tumour which is cancer or cancerous. The opposite of benign. A benign tumour contains cells which are non-cancerous (not cancerous), whilst a malignant tumour contains cells which are cancerous.
See Melanoma.
Mammogram This is a screening test which can show whether or not a woman has breast cancer.
How someone is being treated or looked after.
See Marketing Authorisation.
When a new drug has been developed by a pharmaceutical company, it can not be used, prescribed by a doctor, until the authorities in the UK have passed it for marketing in this country. For this to happen officials and experts have to be satisfied that the drug is safe and effective. Sometimes this is referred to as marketing authorisation, or being licensed or approved or registered. It then has to be launched in the UK before doctors can prescribe them for patients. The pharmaceutical company decides when they want to launch a licensed, approved or registered drug.
A mask, mould or shell is a mask made to fit someone's head, to be worn during chemotherapy to hold the person's head and neck still.
Massage is a way to help people feel relaxed by rubbing or kneading the body. It may help to relieve or lessen the symptoms or side effects of cancer, such as pain or discomfort.
Mast Cells or Mastocytes or Labrocytes are white blood cells, found in connective tissue. They form part of the body's response to injury or inflammation of bodily tissues by releasing substances such as heparin or histamine.
See Mast Cells.
Mature means cells are fully developed and are able to do all the jobs or tasks they are meant to. Mature liver cells for instance, are able to remove waste products from the body.
Maximum Dose is the highest amount or dose of a drug or radiotherapy that can be given safely.
Measles is an infectious disease, which is caused by a virus. For people whose immune system is weak, say from having chemotherapy, measles can be a dangerous infection. Those having chemotherapy should not have the vaccination, as it contains the live virus.
Mediastinoscopy (pronounced me dee astin oss copy) is an operation where a small cut is made at the bottom end of the neck and a small tube is inserted, put into the mediastinum or central area of the chest. When this is done, the doctor can look through the tube to examine that part of the body. They can also take a specimen of tissue or biopsy, if they think that would be helpful.
Mediastinum (pronounced me dee astin num) is the name for the area of the body at the centre of the chest. Inside the mediastinum are the heart, the large main blood vessels and the lymph nodes surrounding the heart.
Medical means related to medicine.
Whenever a doctor is treating somebody, whether or not they are in hospital, they will want to know about any other illnesses, diseases or injuries that person has had, when they visited a doctor. They can find this out by looking at the notes that other doctors made about the visits. They will then add their own notes to the medial records.
This is a doctor who specialises in using drugs to treat cancer.
This is someone who specialises in using radiation to diagnose and treat illness. They also make sure equipment is working properly and that it is accurate and safe. They also advise doctors on what is the best type of test or radiotherapy to use and help them plan radiotherapy treatment.
This is a building from which a doctor, or group of doctors, provide help in the community.
See Medical History.
Medication, Medicine or Drug is anything which is given to someone to take to help treat their illness or reduce their symptoms. Medication could be a tablet or pill, or a liquid or cream.
See Medication.
This is a very malignant and fast growing tumour that usually develops in the cerebellum. It frequently spreads to other parts of the central nervous system, through the spinal fluid. Medulloblastomas are also known as Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumours or PNET.
Melanin is the substance that gives the skin its colour or pigment. It is also what gives someone a sun-tan.
Melanocytes are the cells of the innermost layer of epidermis. Melanocytes make melanin, the skin pigment.
Melanoma or Malignant Melanoma is a malignant tumour that starts to grow in the melanocytes. If melanomas are found early enough, they have a very good chance of being cured. However this type of cancer can often metasise to internal organs.
A membrane separates the interior of a cell from the outside environment.
See Mental Illness.
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture.
Metasise means a cancer spreads from where it started to grow, to other parts of the body.
See Metastatic Cancer.
Metastatic Cancer or Metastases or Secondaries or Secondary Cancer is a cancer or cancers, that have spread from where they started to grow, to other parts of the body.
Metastron, Strontium or Sr89, is a radioactive isotope, which is used in the treatment of bone cancer.
Methotrexate (pronounced metho trex ate) is a drug used in chemotherapy.
Microbiology relates to the study of micro-organisms.
See Microscopic Spread.
Micro-organisms are microscopic single cells such as bacteria.
A scientific instrument which enlarges things so that they can be seen, to be examined more closely.
Microscopic means something that can only been seen by using a microscope.
Microscopic Spread or Micrometastases is where a cancer has spread or metasised but the cancer cells can only been seen with a microscope.
Minerals are naturally occurring substances, which in small amounts the body needs to stay healthy. Necessary minerals include: iron, calcium and iodine. A healthy diet will need to include such minerals.
See Keyhole Surgery.
Mitomycin (pronounced mit oh my sin) is a drug used in chemotherapy.
Mitoxantrone (pronounced mit ox ant rown) is a drug used in chemotherapy. Mitoxantrone used to be called mitozantrone.
Stands for measles, mumps and rubella and is a combined vaccination against those diseases. People who are having chemotherapy, should not have this vaccination as it contains live viruses.
Monitored is where a patient's condition is carefully watched, both with and without medical instruments or machines.
Morbidity means the state of being diseased or unhealthy.
Morphine is an opiate, a powerful analgesic or pain-killer.
See Mask.
MRI Scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Nuclear Magnetic Resonace is a scan using what's known as magnetism, to take lots of photos of the inside of the body. These photos are taken from different positions. They are joined together to form a picture of the inside of the body. A doctor can then see what is going on and whether anything is wrong or abnormal. Although MRI scans are noisy they are painless, do not hurt.
Mucin (pronounced moo sin) is a substance produced by certain organs and is what mucus is mainly made of.
Mucinous Cancer (pronounced moo sin us) is a type of cancer that begins in cells that line certain internal organs. These are organs that produce mucin.
Mucous Membranes are the moist tissues, that line the inside of the body openings, such as the mouth and produce mucus.
Mucus is the slimy substance made by the moist tissues, called mucous membranes, that line the inside of the body openings, such as the mouth. Mucus ensures that body tissues are kept slippery and reduces damage caused by friction.
Multi Disciplinary Team or MDT is a team of different medical specialists who are treating a patient. An MDT could include, specialist cancer doctors, surgeons and nurses.
A word used to describe a disease which has more then one cause. A cancer may develop partly because of someone's genetic make-up, partly as a result of their diet and partly as a result of other environmental factors.
Mumps is an infectious disease, which is caused by a virus. For people whose immune system is weak, say from having chemotherapy, mumps can be a dangerous infection. Those having chemotherapy should not have the vaccination, as it contains the live virus.
Muscles are flexible or elastic tissues that support the joint and allow the body to move.
See Myelocytomatosis Viral Related Oncogene Neuroblastoma.
Myeloblasts (pronounced mile o blasts) are new, immature blood cells which develop in the bone marrow. These become promyelocytes then myelocytes before leaving the bone marrow and entering the blood as granulocytes or neutrophils. If there is a count of more than 30% immature cells, myleoblasts, promyelocytes or myelocytes in the bone marrow, it would indicate the presence of acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia.
A myelocyte is a young cell, occurring normally in bone marrow, but generally not in circulating blood.
Myelocytomatosis Viral Related Oncogene Neuroblastoma (pronounced my low sigh toe mat o sis viral related on co jean new roe blast) - MYCN is a gene which can affect the development of neuroblastoma. This is because some children who develop neuroblastoma have many more of these genes than normal. This is known as 'gene amplification'.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (Pronounced my lo dis plastic) are conditions in which the production of blood cells in the bone marrow is disrupted. This causes bone cells of a poor quality to be produced. These blood cells are often destroyed before they leave the bone marrow. The result is a shortage of white and red blood cells and platelets in the body. Myelodysplastic syndromes are not cancer but they can sometimes develop into leukaemia.
Myeloid means to do with the bone marrow.
Myeloma (pronounced my low ma) is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells, called plasma cells. These cancerous plasma cells build up in the bone marrow.
Myosarcoma (pronounced my o sar coma) is a cancer of a muscle.
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