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antiandrogen therapy

Treatment with drugs used to block production or interfere with the action of male sex hormones.

antiangiogenesis

Antiangiogenesis refers to blocking the formation of new blood vessels, a process tumors depend on to grow and spread.

antiangiogenic

A word for the brake on blood vessel growth, one the body applies by default and drugs press harder in eye disease and cancer.

anticancer antibiotic

A type of anticancer drug that blocks cell growth by interfering with DNA, the genetic material in cells.

anticoagulant

An anticoagulant reduces the blood's tendency to clot, used to prevent or treat dangerous clots in conditions such as atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis.

antiemetic

Antiemetics work through several different mechanisms depending on the drug class, from blocking specific brain receptors to countering inner ear signals.

antimicrobial

An antimicrobial is any substance that kills or stops the growth of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

antimicrotubule agent

A type of drug that blocks cell growth by stopping mitosis (cell division).

antineoplastic

Antineoplastic drugs form the basis of chemotherapy, working through several distinct mechanisms to slow, damage, or destroy dividing cancer cells.

antineoplastic antibiotic

A type of anticancer drug that blocks cell growth by interfering with DNA, the genetic material in cells.

antiretroviral therapy

Because HIV can develop resistance to a single drug relatively quickly, antiretroviral therapy nearly always combines medications from more than one class.

antitumor

Antitumor describes a treatment or biological effect that works to shrink, slow, or destroy an existing tumor.

antitumor antibiotic

A type of anticancer drug that blocks cell growth by interfering with DNA, the genetic material in cells.

aromatherapy

Aromatherapy applies concentrated plant oils, typically through inhalation or the skin, to promote relaxation and general well being rather than to cure disease.

auscultation

/ aw-skul-TAY-shun /

Listening to sounds produced within the body, usually with a stethoscope.

autonomic nervous system

Two opposing divisions, one for action and one for rest, keep heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion balanced without any conscious effort.

autophagy

Autophagy is the cell's built-in recycling process that clears damaged components and helps it survive periods of stress or limited nutrients.

axilla

The axilla is the anatomical region under the arm where it meets the shoulder, containing lymph nodes, vessels, and nerves.

balloon catheter radiation

A system used to deliver internal radiation therapy to breast cancer patients after surgery to remove their cancer.

Barrett esophagus

This condition replaces the esophagus's normal lining with a different cell type after long term acid reflux, and carries a modestly increased cancer risk.