O – Mesothelioma Medical Terms
Oncogene (on- ko -gene): a type of gene. Normally inactive, when these genes are "turned on" (activated), they cause normal cells to change into cancer cells.
Oncology (on-call-o- jee): the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Oncologist (on-call-o- jist): a doctor who is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Medical oncologists specialize in the use of chemotherapy and other drugs to treat cancer. Radiation oncologists specialize in the use of x-rays (radiation) to kill tumors. Surgical oncologists specialize in using surgery to treat cancer.
Oncology nurse specialist: a registered nurse with a master's degree in oncology and who specializes in the care of cancer patients. Oncology nurse specialists may prepare and administer treatments, monitor patients, prescribe and provide supportive care, and teach and counsel patients and their families. Some oncology nurse specialists are also certified nurse practitioners.
Oncology social worker: a person with a master's degree in social work who works with cancer patients. The oncology social worker provides counseling and assistance to People with cancer and their families, especially in dealing with the non-medical crises that can result from cancer, such as financial problems, housing (when treatments must be taken at a facility far away from home), and child care.
Ostomy (os -to-me): a general term meaning an opening, especially one made by surgery. See also colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, and tracheostomy.
Ovarian Cancer and Asbestos
Onconase Responsive Genes in Human Mesothelioma Cells
Opiates Orphan Drug
P –Mesothelioma Medical Terms
PSA (prostate specific antigen): a protein made by the prostate. Levels of PSA often go up in men with prostate cancer. The PSA test measures levels in the blood and is used to help find prostate cancer as well as to monitor the results of treatment.
Palliative care (pal-e-uh- tive care): treatment that relieves symptoms, such as pain, but is not expected to cure the disease. The main purpose is to improve the patient's quality of life.
Palliate Symptoms of Constriction
Palliative Treatment
Papillary Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Paracentesis
Parietal Pleura
Pathological Staging
Pathology Report
Pegylated Arginine Deiminase
Palpation (pal-pay-shun): using the hands to examine. A palpable mass is one that can be felt.
Parietal pleura
Pathologist (path-all-eh- jist): a doctor who specializes in diagnosis and classification of diseases by laboratory tests (such as examination of tissue and cells under a microscope). The pathologist determines whether a lump is benign or cancerous.
Pemetrexed
Pemetrexed in Chemotherapy
Peptide
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
Pericardium (Heart Sac)
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Gene Expression
Pericardial Effusion Congestive Heart Failure
Pericardium
Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial Mesothelioma Can Masquerade as Pericarditis
Pericarditis
Peritoneum (Abdominal Cavity)
Peritoneoscope
Peritoneoscopy
Peritoneum
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
PET Scan– (Positron Emission Tomography)
Permanent section: Preparation of tissue for microscopic examination. The tissue is soaked in formaldehyde, processed in various chemicals, surrounded by a block of wax, sliced very thin, attached to a microscope slide and stained. This usually takes 1-2 days. It provides a clear view of the sample so that the presence or absence of cancer can be determined.
Placebo (pluh -see-bow): an inert, inactive substance that may be used in studies (clinical trials) to compare the effects of a given treatment with no treatment. In common speech, a "sugar pill."
Platelet: a part of the blood that helps it "stick together" (clot) to promote healing after an injury. Chemotherapy can cause a drop in the platelet count--a condition called thrombocytopenia.
Pleura (pler -uh): the membrane around the lungs and lining of the chest cavity.
Pnuemonectomy (new-mo-NEK-to-me): surgery to remove a lung.
Phase II Study for Mesothelioma Treatment
Phase II trial of NGR-hTNF in mesothelioma
Phase 2 Clinical Trial of ADI-PEG 20 (Pegylated Arginine Deiminase)
Phase 2 Clinical Trial of the Drug under the Physical Examination
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Platelets
Platinum-Based Chemotherapy with Cisplatin
Pleura
Pleural Calcification
Pleural Cavity
Pleura Effusion
Pleural Effusions
Pleural fibroses: a thickening of the pleural surface
Pleural Fluid
Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleurectomy (Decortication)
Pleuroscopy
Pleurodesis
Ploidy (ploy- dee): a measure of the amount of DNA contained in a cell. Ploidy is a marker that helps predict how quickly a cancer is likely to spread. Cancers with the same amount of DNA as normal cells are called diploid and those with either more or less than that amount are aneuploid. About two-thirds of breast cancers are aneuploid.
Polypectomy (poly-peck-tow-me): surgery to remove a polyp.
Polyp: a growth from a mucous membrane commonly found in organs such as the rectum, the uterus, and the nose.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Pneumonectomy
Pneumonitis
Primary Pericardial Mesothelioma
Primary Care Doctor
Prognosis
Prognostic Study
Prognostic Factors for Malignant Mesothelioma
Protein in Malignant Mesothelioma
Protein Detection Testing Successfully Diagnoses Pleural Mesothelioma
Proteomic Assay
Proton Therapy
Pre-cancerous: see pre malignant.
Predisposition: susceptibility to a disease that can be triggered under certain conditions. For example, some women have a family history of breast cancer and are therefore more likely (but not necessarily destined) to develop breast cancer.
Pre-malignant: changes in cells that may, but do not always, become cancer. Also called precancerous.
Prevalence: a measure of the proportion of persons in the population with a certain disease at a given time.
Primary site: the place where cancer begins. Primary cancer is usually named after the organ in which it starts. For example, cancer that starts in the breast are always breast cancer even if it spreads (metastasizes) to other organs such as bones or lungs.
Prognosis (prog -no-sis): a prediction of the course of disease; the outlook for the cure of the patient. For example, women with breast cancer that was detected early and who received prompt treatment have a good prognosis.
Prostate (pros- tate): (Note that there is no "r" in the second syllable) a gland found only in men. It is just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate makes a fluid that is part of semen. The tube that carries urine, the urethra, runs through the prostate.
Prostate specific antigen: see PSA prostatitis (pros- tuh-tie-tus): inflammation of the prostate. Prostatitis is not cancer.
Prosthesis (pros-thee-sis): an artificial form to replace a part of the body, such as a breast prosthesis.
Protocol (pro- teh -call): a formal outline or plan, such as a description of what treatments a patient will receive and exactly when each should be given.
Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary Function Test
Pulmonary Therapy