General Medical Terms

A benign (not cancer) condition in which there are more cells than normal in the lining of breast ducts and the cells look abnormal under a microscope.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia is a benign breast condition marked by abnormal appearing cells that raises the future risk of breast cancer.

A term used to describe abnormal cells that come from inside the cervix or from the lining of the uterus.

Abnormal cells from the outer walls of the cervix (the lower, narrow end of the uterus).

Auricular describes anything relating to the ear, particularly its outer visible structure, though it also names an unrelated heart structure.

Autologous describes tissue, cells, or blood taken from a person and later used in that same person, rather than from another donor.

In transplantation, refers to a person's own bone marrow.

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

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

Surgery to remove lymph nodes found in the armpit region.

Axillary lymph nodes filter lymph draining from the arm, chest wall, and breast, and are checked in infection, injury, and cancer staging.

Surgery to remove lymph nodes found in the armpit region.

A substance that is used in cancer research to cause colon tumors in laboratory animals.

A toxic substance, made by bacteria, that can be modified to kill specific tumor cells without harming normal cells.

A liquid containing barium sulfate that is used in x-rays to highlight parts of the digestive system.

The process of getting x-ray pictures of the esophagus or the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract (esophagus, stomach, and duodenum).

A barrier is a structure or mechanism that blocks, filters, or limits passage of substances, cells, or organisms, a concept used throughout physiology.

A basal cell is one of the small, round cells forming the deepest layer of the epidermis, where new skin cells are continuously produced.

A baseline is an initial measurement recorded before a condition or treatment begins, providing a reference point for detecting change over time.

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