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Glossary

Showing 431-440 out of 1154 Terms

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  • Exploratory surgery

    (ek-SPLOR-uh-TOR-ee SER-juh-ree)

    Surgery undertaken to investigate a situation that other, primarily external diagnostic tests have failed to clarify.

  • External beam radiation

    A type of radiation therapy that uses a machine to aim high-energy rays at the cancer from outside of the body. Also called external radiation therapy.

  • Extracorporeal photopheresis

    Listen to pronunciation (EK-struh-kor-POR-ee-ul FOH-toh-feh-REE-sis)

    A procedure in which blood is removed from the body and treated with ultraviolet light and drugs that become active when exposed to light. The blood is then returned to the body. It is being studied in the treatment of some blood and bone marrow diseases and graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). Also called photopheresis.

  • Extremity

    (ek-STREH-mih-tee)

    A limb of the body, such as the arm or leg.

  • Fallopian tubes

    (fuh-LOH-pee-in...)

    A slender tube through which eggs pass from an ovary to the uterus. In the female reproductive tract, there is one ovary and one fallopian tube on each side of the uterus.

  • False-negative test results

    A test result that indicates that a person does not have a specific disease or condition when the person actually does have the disease or condition.

  • False-positive test results

    A test result that indicates that a person has a specific disease or condition when the person actually does not have the disease or condition.

  • Familial adenomatous polyposis

    (fuh-MIH-lee-ul A-deh-NOH-muh-tus PAH-lee-POH-sis)

    An inherited condition in which numerous polyps (growths that protrude from mucous membranes) form on the inside walls of the colon and rectum. It increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Also called familial polyposis and FAP.

  • Familial cancer

    (fuh-MIH-lee-ul KAN-ser)

    Cancer that occurs in families more often than would be expected by chance. These cancers often occur at an early age, and may indicate the presence of a gene mutation that increases the risk of cancer. They may also be a sign of shared environmental or lifestyle factors.

  • Family tree

    A drawing that shows the different members of a family, their relationships to one another and any medical conditions that they might have. By looking at the patterns present within the family tree, a medical professional can see whether a genetic condition might run in the family.