General Medical Terms

Describes the process inside a cell that occurs when the same signal is shared by two or more signaling pathways.

Cryopreservation cools cells, tissue, or organs to very low temperatures to halt biological activity and store them for later use.

CSF is the fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord, providing cushioning and a pathway for clearing waste from the central nervous system.

A method to examine the inside of the colon by taking a series of x-rays.

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

Volume, not length: reporting a lesion in cubic centimeters captures how much of it there is, which three measurements alone do not.

The ability to understand, interact, and work well with people of different cultures.

Group patterns describe tendencies and never individuals, so assuming a belief from someone's background is its own error.

Cells of a single type (human, animal, or plant) that have been adapted to grow continuously in the laboratory and are used in research.

The total amount of a substance or radiation that a person is exposed to over time.

CUP describes cancer confirmed on biopsy for which the original site of origin cannot be identified despite thorough evaluation.

A claim about the future rather than the present, which is why it is used sparingly and other words are used instead.

Removal of tissue with a curette (a spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge).

A curette is a handheld surgical tool used to scrape or scoop tissue, debris, or growths from a body surface or cavity.

Cutaneous findings and conditions involve the skin itself, as distinguished from structures located in deeper tissue layers or internal organs.

Cyanide is a fast acting poison that blocks cells from using oxygen, found in certain plants, smoke, and industrial chemicals.

A sac or capsule in the body.

A tube that carries bile from the gall bladder.

The study of chromosomes and chromosomal abnormalities.

Cytotoxic describes something that damages cells or causes cell death.