| tumor | 1. <oncology> An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division that is uncontrolled and progressive, also called a neoplasm. Tumours perform no useful body function. They may be either benign (not cancerous) or malignant. 2. Swelling, one of the cardinal signs of inflammations, morbid enlargement. Origin: L. Tumere = to swell (12 May 1997) |
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| tumor marker | <investigation, oncology> A substance in the body that usually indicates the presence of cancer. These markers are usually specific to certain types of cancer and are usually found in the blood or other tissue samples. Examples are alphafetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). They may be indicators of tumour stage and grade as well as useful for monitoring responses to treatment and predicting recurrence. Many chemical groups are represented including hormones, antigens, amino and nucleic acids, enzymes, polyamines, and specific cell membrane proteins and lipids. (18 Jul 2002) |
| tumor necrosis factor | <cytokine> Originally described as a tumour inhibiting factor in the blood of animals exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide or Bacille Calmette-Guerin. Preferentially kills tumour cells in vivo and in vitro, causes necrosis of certain transplanted tumours in mice and inhibits experimental metastases. Human Tumour Necrosis factor alpha is a protein of 157 amino acids and has a wide range of pro inflammatory actions. Usually considered a cytokine. Synonym: cachectin. Acronym: TNF (13 Nov 1997) |
| anatomical pathology | The subspecialty of pathology that pertains to the gross and microscopic study of organs and tissues removed for biopsy or during postmortem examination, and also the interpretation of the results of such study. Synonym: pathological anatomy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pathology | <study> The branch of medicine concerned with disease, especially its structure and its functional effects on the body. (16 Dec 1997) |
| pathology, clinical | A subspecialty of pathology which deals with the laboratory analysis of specimens of human blood and other fluids. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pathology department, hospital | Hospital department which administers and provides pathology services. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pathology, oral | A dental specialty concerned with pathology of the oral cavity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pathology, surgical | A field of anatomical pathology in which living tissue is surgically removed for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pathology, veterinary | The field of veterinary medicine concerned with the causes of and changes produced in the body by disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cellular pathology | The interpretation of diseases in terms of cellular alterations, i.e., the ways in which cells fail to maintain homeostasis, sometimes used as a synonym for cytopathology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| medical pathology | Pathology pertaining to various diseases not suitable for treatment by surgery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| clinical pathology | Any part of the medical practice of pathology as it pertains to the care of patients, the subspecialty in pathology concerned with the theoretical and technical aspects (i.e., the methods or procedures) of chemistry, immunohematology, microbiology, parasitology, immunology, haematology, and other fields as they pertain to the diagnosis of disease and the care of patients, as well as to the prevention of disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| molecular pathology | The study of biochemical and biophysical cellular mechanisms as the basic factors in disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| comparative pathology | The pathology of diseases of animals, especially in relation to human pathology. (05 Mar 2000) |