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Cancer and Leukaemia Terms and Titles
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Displaying 68 terms beginning with "P"
Paediatric means relating to the medical care and treatment of children. Paediatrics is the medical study of the diagnosis and treatment of childhood diseases and disorders.
This is a clinic that specialises in treating chronic pain. In most cases, a pain clinic will be run by an anaesthetist. Sometimes a doctor who specialises in palliative care may be present.
A Pain-killer or Analgesic is a drug used to relieve pain.
Palliation is where treatment is given to control symptoms rather than to cure disease. A good example of this is palliative radiotherapy, which is given to reduce or alleviate pain.
Palliative Care is care given to patients whose illness cannot be cured. It can include treatment to control of pain and other symptoms. It can also include help with psychological, social or spiritual problems.
Palliative Radiotherapy is a course of radiotherapy given to reduce or alleviate.
Palliative Treatment is given to control symptoms such as pain and sickness, rather than to cure cancer itself.
See Hand-foot syndrome.
See Patient Advice and Liaison Services.
This is a gland near the stomach which secretes a fluid to help with food digestion and also the hormone insulin which helps the body process glucose.
This is a specialist who examines and identifies cells. A pathologist is able to say whether a cell is normal or cancerous and where in the body it comes from. If it is cancerous, a pathologist may be able to say which type of body cell the cancer developed from.
Pathology is the study of diseased cells under a microscope.
This is a person who is being given treatment, whilst staying in hospital (an in-patient) or in a clinic, in or outside a hospital (an out-patient).
Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) are telephone helplines which give help and information to patients and their families. PALS also deal with any problems with NHS health care services or health related issues, as quickly and completely as possible. Local PALS telephone numbers can be obtained by telephoning NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
See Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant.
See Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation.
See Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation.
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant (PBCT) is a procedure where, before chemotherapy, stem cells are taken or rescued from a patient's body. These are then replaced or put back after treatment.
See Stem Cells.
Peripheral T cell lymphoma is a type of high grade non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, which affects the T cells of the immune system.
See Positron Emission Tomography Scan.
This is a company which carries out research to discover new drugs. When a pharmaceutical company believes it has discovered a new drug, before it can be prescribed by a doctor, it has to have marketing authorisation or be approved, licensed or registered.
This is someone who is trained to treat illness by physical methods such as manipulating joints and muscles, massage and heat treatment, rather than by using drugs.
See Cystic Cerebellar Astrocytoma.
See Keyhole Surgery.
See Tattoos.
This is a substance, which has no known medical benefits. Usually, a placebo is given to one of the groups in a randomised controlled trial. The other group are given a recognised form of treatment. The progress of both groups is then watched or monitored and the results compared. This gives an indication of the effectiveness of the treatment, compared to the placebo. Sometimes an individual is given a placebo, where a doctor feels that patient needs to believe they are being treated with something. This might be where the doctor feels the symptoms are psychosomatic.
Plasma is the liquid part of blood that the blood cells are suspended in.
Plasma Cells are a type of white blood cell. Plasma cells make different antibodies to fight each type of bacteria or virus that enters the body, to stop infection and disease.
Platelets or Thrombocytes are one of the three types of blood cells. They cause the blood to clot (coagulation), which stops bleeding.
Platinum Drugs are a group of chemotherapy drugs. This group includes cisplatin and carboplatin and they are used to treat a variety of cancers.
See Neutrophil.
See Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumour.
Pneumonia is a lung infection, usually caused by bacteria.
See Neutrophil.
Usually referred to as a Hickman Line is a type of central line. It is a thin tube, which is put into one of the veins in a person's chest, near to the heart. Through this chemotherapy drugs are gradually introduced into the bloodstream. This is known as being given intraveneously. The central line is also a means by which a doctor may take blood samples for testing. Putting in a portocath is a safe procedure and it can remain in place for many months.
Positive lymph nodes are lymph nodes that contain cancer cells. This means there is a greater possibility that cancer has spread. Often this means adjuvant treatment is needed, such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy.
This is where a test, procedure or operation has found something abnormal, such as cancer.
Positron Emission Tomography Scan or PET Scan is a scan which uses a low dose radioactive liquid to find anything abnormal in the body. They can be used to help diagnose cancer.
Precancer or Precancerous or Precancerous Cells, refers to the stage before cancer has developed. The cells will appear abnormal but are not yet cancerous. They may go on to become cancerous, if they are not treated. If they are treated, this can prevent them becoming cancerous.
See Precancer.
See Precancer.
Pre-med is a treatment or procedure given before a person's main treatment. An example may be giving antibiotics to prevent infection during the main treatment.
Refers to something such as a drug or medical equipment, which a doctor has decided should be given to a particular patient.
Written instructions from a doctor concerning the type and dose of a drug to be issued to a particular patient.
Primary or Original is the first or initial example of something or the place where something started.
This is the place where a cancer begins, where it first starts to grow.
Primitive means undeveloped or in early stages of development.
Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumour (PNET) is a type of brain tumour, most commonly found in children. They are so-called because they develop from primitive or poorly developed nerve cells in the brain.
This is something which is carried out, in the course of treatment, for a particular purpose, intended to achieve a result in the care of a patient.
Prognosis is the possible outcome or outlook for someone who has a disease. It will indicate whether the disease can be either controlled or cured, as a result of treatment.
See Promyelocyte.
Progression is where a cancer has progressed or grown, by at least 25% of its size, or where new areas of cancer have been found.
A promyelocyte (or progranulocyte) is a granulocyte precursor, developing from the myeloblast and developing into the myelocyte
Prophylatic (pronounced prof ill ack tic) means preventative or to prevent. So this is a short course of radiotherapy on the head to prevent or stop cancer that could spread to the brain. In this way doctors hope to kill off any off any microscopic spread that may have already reached the brain.
See Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation.
A specially made replacement body part, such as an artificial arm or leg, to replace body parts which have been surgically removed.
A dentist who specialises in replacing missing teeth.
Proteasome inhibitors are drugs which interfere with the way proteasomes work. Proteasomes are substances found in all cells, which help to break down proteins. Proteasome inhibitors lead to a build up of proteins in the cells, causing them to die. These inhibitors are used because research has shown that cancer cells are more sensitive to them than normal cells.
Proteasomes are substances found in cells, which deal with proteins that are unwanted or damaged. It breaks down such proteins by a process known as proteolysis.
Proteins are one of the three major food sources, needed by the body. They are found in everyday food such as meat, fish, dairy products and nuts. The other two major food sources are fats and carbohydrates.
This is a doctor who specialises in treating mental illness.
Psychological means to do with the mind.
This is an expert in psychology. A clinical psychologists give mental health care and counselling.
Psychology is the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behaviour, thinking, emotion and mood.
Psychosomatic describes a condition or state, which is more in the mind than the body, often more imagined than real.
This is a trained professional who works with individuals, couples, families and groups to help them overcome psychological difficulties.
Pulmonary means to do with the lungs.
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