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An antioxidant drug that may keep cancer cells from developing or reduce the risk of growth of existing cancer. |
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A substance that is being studied as an anticancer drug in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Also called CI-994. |
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A substance that is used in cancer research to cause bladder tumors in laboratory animals. This is done to test new diets, drugs, and procedures for use in cancer prevention and treatment. |
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A substance that is being studied as a treatment for constipation caused by narcotic medications. It belongs to the family of drugs called narcotic antagonists. |
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A measure of weight. One nanogram weighs a billion times less than one gram, and almost a trillion-times less than a pound. |
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An agent that causes insensibility or stupor; usually refers to opioids given to relieve pain. |
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By or having to do with the nose. |
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(NAY-zo-fair-inks)
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The upper part of the throat behind the nose. An opening on each side of the nasopharynx leads into the ear. |
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A thin lighted tube used to examine the nose. Also called a rhinoscope. |
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A procedure in which a thin, lighted tube is inserted into the nose to look for abnormal areas. Also called rhinoscopy. |
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NCI. The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research. NCI conducts, coordinates, and funds cancer research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Access the NCI Web site at http://cancer.gov. |
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NIH. The National Institutes of Health, the focal point of biomedical research in the United States, conducts research in its own laboratories; supports the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helps in the training of research investigators; and fosters communication of medical information. Access the NIH Web site at http://www.nih.gov. |
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NK cell. A type of white blood cell that contains granules with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or microbial cells. Also called a large granular lymphocyte. |
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A substance that is being studied for its ability to make cancer cells respond to drugs to which they have become resistant. It belongs to the family of drugs called nucleoside analogs. |
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A substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It is made by
combining interleukin 4 with a bacterial toxin, and belongs to the family of
drugs called recombinant chimeric proteins. Also called interleukin-4 PE38KDEL immunotoxin and
interleukin-4 PE38KDEL cytotoxin. |
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National Cancer Institute. NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research. NCI conducts, coordinates, and funds cancer research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Access the NCI Web site at http://cancer.gov. |
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A device used to turn liquid into a fine spray. |
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(dye-SEK-shun)
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Surgery to remove lymph nodes and other tissues in the neck. |
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(ne-KRO-sis)
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Refers to the death of living tissues.
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The removal of tissue or fluid with a needle for examination under a microscope. Also called fine-needle aspiration. |
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A procedure that uses very thin needles or guide wires to mark the location of an abnormal area of tissue so it can be surgically removed. An imaging device is used to place the wire in or around the abnormal area. Needle localization is used when the doctor cannot feel the mass of abnormal tissue. |
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A lymph node in the armpit that is free of cancer. |
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A test result that fails to show the specific disease or condition for which the test was being done. |
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A substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of
drugs called antimetabolites. Also called 506U78.
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A drug that interferes with the ability of a virus to make copies of itself. |
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(NEE-o-AD-joo-vant)
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Treatment given before the primary treatment. Examples of neoadjuvant therapy include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. |
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(NEE-o-PLAY-zha)
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Abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth. |
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An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell
division. Neoplasms may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous).
Also called tumor. |
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A condition in which cancer cells spread into the meninges (membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord). |
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(neh-FREK-tuh-mee)
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Surgery to remove a kidney or part of a kidney. In a partial nephrectomy, part of one kidney or a tumor is removed, but not an entire kidney. In a simple nephrectomy, one kidney is removed. In a radical nephrectomy, an entire kidney, nearby adrenal gland and lymph nodes, and other surrounding tissue are removed. In a bilateral nephrectomy, both kidneys are removed. |
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(neh-FROL-uh-jist)
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A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating kidney disease. |
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(nef-ro-TOE-mo-gram)
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A series of x-rays of the kidneys. The x-rays are taken from different angles and show the kidneys clearly, without the shadows of the organs around them. |
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Poisonous or damaging to the kidney. |
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Surgery to remove a kidney and its ureter. Also called ureteronephrectomy. |
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A bundle of fibers that receives and sends messages between the body and the brain. The messages are sent by chemical and electrical changes in the cells that make up the nerves. |
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A procedure in which medicine is injected directly into or around a nerve or into the spine to block pain. |
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A type of cell that receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body. The messages are sent by a weak electrical current. Also called a neuron. |
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Replacing a damaged nerve with a section of a healthy nerve that has been removed from another part of the body. This procedure is being studied in the prevention of erectile dysfunction in men having surgery for prostate cancer. |
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Surgery to remove the prostate in which an attempt is made to save the nerves that help cause penile erections. |
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(SER-juh-ree)
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A type of surgery that attempts to save the nerves near the tissues being removed. |
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Having to do with nerves or the nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord. |
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(NOO-ro-on-KOL-o-jist)
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A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating brain tumors and other tumors of the nervous system. |
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Having to do with the way the brain affects emotion,
behavior, and learning. Some cancers or their treatment may cause
neurobehavioral problems.
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Cancer that arises in immature nerve cells and affects mostly infants and children. |
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Having to do with the ability to think and reason. This includes the ability to concentrate, remember things, process information, learn, speak, and understand. |
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A tumor of the central or peripheral nervous system. |
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(NOO-ro-EN-do-krin)
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Having to do with the interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system. Neuroendocrine describes certain cells that release hormones into the blood in response to stimulation of the nervous system. |
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A tumor derived from cells that release a hormone in response to a signal from the nervous system. Some examples of neuroendocrine tumors are carcinoid tumors, islet cell tumors, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and pheochromocytoma. These tumors secrete hormones in excess, causing a variety of symptoms. |
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Having to do with tissue made up of sensory cells, such as tissue found in the ear, nose, and tongue. |
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A benign tumor that develops from the cells and tissues that cover nerves. |
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NF1. A rare genetic condition that causes brown spots and tumors on the skin, freckling in skin areas not exposed to the sun, tumors on the nerves, and developmental changes in the nervous system, muscles, bone, and skin. |
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NF2. A genetic condition in which tumors form on the nerves of the inner ear and cause loss of hearing and balance. Tumors may also occur in the brain and on nerves in the skull and spinal cord, and may cause loss of speech, eye movement, and the ability to swallow. Also called acoustic neurofibromatosis. |
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(noor-uh-LOJ-ik)
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Having to do with nerves or the nervous system. |
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A series of questions and tests to check brain, spinal cord, and nerve function. The exam checks a person’s mental status, coordination, ability to walk, and how well the muscles, sensory systems, and deep tendon reflexes work. |
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(noo-ROL-o-jist)
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A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. |
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(noo-RO-ma)
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A tumor that arises in nerve cells. |
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A type of cell that receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body. The messages are sent by a weak electrical current. Also called a nerve cell. |
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A pathologist who specializes in diseases of the nervous system. A pathologist identifies disease by studying cells and tissues under a microscope. |
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A problem in peripheral nerve function (any part of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord) that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, and muscle weakness in various parts of the body. Neuropathies may be caused by physical injury, infection, toxic substances, disease (e.g., cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, or malnutrition), or drugs such as anticancer drugs. Also called peripheral neuropathy. |
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A member of a class of protein-like molecules made in the brain. Neuropeptides consist of short chains of amino acids, with some functioning as neurotransmitters and some functioning as hormones. |
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A doctor trained in radiology who specializes in creating and interpreting pictures of the nervous system. The pictures are produced using forms of radiation, such as x-rays, sound waves, or other types of energy. |
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(NOO-ro-SER-jun)
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A doctor who specializes in surgery on the brain, spine, and other parts of the nervous system. |
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The tendency of some treatments to cause damage to the nervous system. |
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A substance that is poisonous to nerve tissue. |
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An ability to invade and live in neural tissue. This term is usually used to describe the ability of viruses to infect nerve tissue. |
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An abnormal decrease in the number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell. |
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(NOO-tro-fil)
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A type of white blood cell. |
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(NEE-vus)
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A benign growth on the skin, such as a mole. A mole is a cluster of melanocytes and surrounding supportive tissue that usually appears as a tan, brown, or flesh-colored spot on the skin. The plural of nevus is nevi (NEE-vye). |
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Neurofibromatosis type 1. A rare genetic condition that causes brown spots and tumors on the skin, freckling in skin areas not exposed to the sun, tumors on the nerves, and developmental changes in the nervous system, muscles, bone, and skin. |
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An amino acid derivative used to counteract high blood pressure caused by interleukin-2. |
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A vitamin being studied to increase the effect of radiation therapy on tumor cells. Also called nicotinamide. |
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A vitamin being studied to increase the effect of radiation therapy on tumor cells. Also called niacinamide. |
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National Institutes of Health. NIH, the focal point of biomedical research in the United
States, conducts research in its own laboratories; supports the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helps in the training of research investigators; and fosters communication of medical information. Access the NIH Web site at http://www.nih.gov. |
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(nye-LOO-ta-mide)
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A drug that blocks the effects of male hormones in the body. It belongs to the family of drugs called antiandrogens. |
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Belongs to a family of drugs called calcium channel blockers. It is being investigated for use with anticancer drugs to prevent or overcome drug resistance and improve response to chemotherapy. |
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In anatomy, the small raised area in the center of the breast through which milk can flow to the outside. |
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Fluid coming from the nipple. |
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A toxic, corrosive, colorless liquid used to make fertilizers, dyes, explosives, and other chemicals.
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An alkaloid drug belonging to a class of anticancer agents called topoisomerase inhibitors. |
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(nye-TRO-so-yoo-REE-ah)
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An anticancer drug that can cross the blood-brain barrier. Carmustine and lomustine are nitrosoureas. |
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Natural killer cell. A type of white blood cell that contains granules with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or microbial cells. Also called a large granular lymphocyte. |
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Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. A procedure in which a magnet linked to a computer is used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. |
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Cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes. |
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Cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes. |
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A small mass of tissue within a gland or organ that carries out the specialized functions of the gland or organ. |
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(NOD-yool)
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A growth or lump that may be cancerous or noncancerous. |
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A substance that is being studied as a treatment for cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called thymidylate synthase inhibitors. Also called AG337. |
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A group of cancers of the lymphoid system, including B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, diffuse cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, immunoblastic large cell lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder, small non-cleaved cell lymphoma, and T-cell lymphoma. |
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A group of lung cancers that includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. |
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Describes a clinical trial or other experiment in which the researchers know what treatments are being given to each study subject or experimental group. If human subjects are involved, they know what treatments they are receiving. |
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A clinical study that includes some, but not all, of the eligible patients identified by the researchers during the study registration period. This type of study does not usually have a control group. |
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Lymphoma in which the lymph nodes containing cancer are not next to each other, but are on the same side of the diaphragm (the thin muscle below the lungs that helps breathing and separates the chest from the abdomen). |
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Cancer that does not begin in the blood or bone marrow. |
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Morinda citrifolia. A tropical shrub. An extract from the fruit is being studied as a treatment for cancer, and extracts from the fruit, leaves, or roots have been used in some cultures to treat other diseases. |
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In biology, refers to viruses that do not kill infected cells by disrupting their plasma membranes. |
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A disorder of the blood. Some nonmalignant hematologic disorders may lead to leukemia. |
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Skin cancer that arises in basal cells or squamous cells but not in melanocytes (pigment-producing cells of the skin). |
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Having to do with skin cancer that develops in basal cells or squamous cells but not in melanocytes (pigment-producing cells of the skin). |
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Cancer that has not spread from the primary (original) site to other sites in the body. |
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A drug that is not an opioid. Examples include acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as aspirin and ibuprofen. |
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A medicine that can be bought without a doctor's order. Examples include some analgesics (pain relievers). Also called over-the-counter (OTC). |
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A clinical trial in which the participants are not assigned by chance to different treatment groups. Participants may choose which group they want to be in, or they may be assigned to the groups by the researchers. |
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(non-sem-ih-NO-ma)
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A group of testicular cancers that begin in the germ cells (cells that give rise to sperm). Nonseminomas are identified by the type of cell in which they begin and include embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, choriocarcinoma, and yolk sac carcinoma. |
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A cell (such as a phagocyte or a macrophage) that responds to many antigens, not just one antigen. |
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NSAID. A drug that decreases fever, swelling, pain, and redness. |
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A drug that decreases the production of sex hormones (estrogen or testosterone) and slows the growth of tumors that need sex hormones to grow. |
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Not harmful or destructive. |
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An antibiotic drug used to treat infection. |
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A Latin abbreviation for “nothing by mouth.” |
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A protein found on the surface of some cancers. |
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. A drug that decreases fever, swelling, pain, and redness. |
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An evaluation of the size and shape of the nucleus in tumor cells and the percentage of tumor cells that are in the process of dividing or growing. Cancers with low nuclear grade grow and spread less quickly than cancers with high nuclear grade. |
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NMRI. A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. NMRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as CT or X-ray. NMRI is especially useful for imaging the brain, spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). |
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A method of diagnostic imaging that uses very small amounts of radioactive material. The patient is injected with a liquid that contains the radioactive substance, which collects in the part of the body to be imaged. Sophisticated instruments detect the radioactive substance in the body and process that information into an image. |
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A health professional trained to care for people who are ill or disabled. |
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A food or dietary supplement that is believed to provide health benefits. |
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A chemical compound (such as protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, or minerals) that make up foods. These compounds are used by the body to function and grow. |
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The taking in and use of food and other nourishing material by the body. Nutrition is a 3-part process. First, food or drink is consumed. Second, the body breaks down the food or drink into nutrients. Third, the nutrients travel through the bloodstream to different parts of the body where they are used as "fuel" and for many other purposes. To give the body proper nutrition, a person has to eat and drink enough of the foods that contain key nutrients. |
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A health professional with special training in nutrition who can offer help with the choice of foods a person eats and drinks. Also called a dietitian. |
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A drug that treats infections caused by fungi. |
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