Medical terms A–Z

A type of breast imaging test that is used to detect cancer cells in the breasts of some women who have had abnormal mammograms, or who have dense breast tissue.

An imaging test used to find overactive parathyroid glands (four pea-sized glands found on the thyroid) and breast cancer cells, and to diagnose heart disease.

A severe form of myelosuppression.

A rare type of cancer that forms in the tissues that support the ovaries or testes.

A rare type of cancer that forms in the tissues that support the ovaries or testes.

A rare type of cancer that forms in the tissues that support the ovaries or testes.

Sex drive is the everyday term for libido, a person's level of motivation or desire for sexual activity.

Sexual drive describes a person's motivation or desire for sexual activity, which can vary widely and change over time.

Illness, surgery, medication and aging all reach this part of life, which is why care teams raise it alongside other quality of life concerns.

The blood is what sets it apart: the same malignant cells circulate, so it behaves unlike a lymphoma confined to skin.

A substance that is being studied in the prevention of cancer.

A monoclonal antibody that binds to cells that have the CD30 antigen on their surface, including Hodgkin disease cells and cells from anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

A monoclonal antibody that binds to cells that have the CD40 antigen on their surface, including cells from multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

An inactive treatment or procedure that is intended to mimic as closely as possible a therapy in a clinical trial.

A procedure in which a skin abnormality and a thin layer of surrounding skin are removed with a small blade for examination under a microscope.

A plant that has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems.

A cultivated East Asian mushroom eaten as food and studied in laboratories for a long-chain sugar in its cell walls.

The larger of two bones between the knee and ankle.

A Japanese formulation of seven Chinese herbs that is being studied as a treatment for cancer.

A flat, triangular bone on the upper back, the shoulder blade anchors many of the muscles that stabilize and move the arm.