| 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) |
| bell pepper | <botany> A species of Capsicum, or Guinea pepper (C. Annuum). It is the red pepper of the gardens. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| bird pepper | <botany> A species of capsicum (Capsicum baccatum), whose small, conical, coral-red fruit is among the most piquant of all red peppers. (16 Dec 1998) |
| pepper | 1. A well-known, pungently aromatic condiment, the dried berry, either whole or powdered, of the Piper nigrum. Common, or black, pepper is made from the whole berry, dried just before maturity; white pepper is made from the ripe berry after the outer skin has been removed by maceration and friction. It has less of the peculiar properties of the plant than the black pepper. Pepper is used in medicine as a carminative stimulant. 2. <botany> The plant which yields pepper, an East Indian woody climber (Piper nigrum), with ovate leaves and apetalous flowers in spikes opposite the leaves. The berries are red when ripe. Also, by extension, any one of the several hundred species of the genus Piper, widely dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the earth. 3. Any plant of the genus Capsicum, and its fruit; red pepper; as, the bell pepper. The term pepper has been extended to various other fruits and plants, more or less closely resembling the true pepper, especially. To the common varieties of Capsicum. See Capsicum, and the Phrases, below. African pepper, the Guinea pepper. See Guinea. Cayenne pepper. See Cayenne. Chinese pepper, the spicy berries of the Xanthoxylum piperitum, a species of prickly ash found in China and Japan. Guinea pepper. See Guinea, and Capsicum. Jamaica pepper. See Allspice. Long pepper. The spike of berries of Piper longum, an East Indian shrub. The root of Piper, or Macropiper, methysticum. See Kava. Malaguetta, or Meleguetta, pepper, the aromatic seeds of the Amomum Melegueta, an African plant of the Ginger family. They are sometimes used to flavor beer, etc, under the name of grains of Paradise. Red pepper. See Capsicum. <botany> Sweet pepper bush, an aromatic tree (Drimys axillaris) of the Magnolia family, common in New Zealand. See Peruvian mastic tree, under Mastic. Origin: OE. Peper, AS. Pipor, L. Piper, fr. Gr, akin to Skr. Pippala, pippali. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| pepper and salt fundus | Ophthalmoscopic appearance of the fundus caused by choriocapillaris atrophy and pigment proliferation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pepper dulse | <botany> A variety of edible seaweed (Laurencia pinnatifida) distinguished for its pungency. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| pepper syndrome | <radiology> Primary adrenal neuroblastoma, massive hepatomegaly from metastases (12 Dec 1998) |
| water pepper | <botany> Smartweed. Synonym: waterwort. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |