| 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) |
| bone within a bone | <radiology> STOP heavy metal, S: sickle cell disease, T: Thorotrast, O: osteopetrosis, P: Paget's disease, heavy metals, hypervitaminosis D (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute reflex bone atrophy | Atrophy of bones, commonly of the carpal or tarsal bones, following a slight injury such as a sprain. See: causalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Synonym: acute reflex bone atrophy, posttraumatic osteoporosis, Sudeck's syndrome. Origin: L. English sweat (05 Mar 2000) |
| air-bone gap | The difference between the threshold for hearing acuity by bone conduction and by air conduction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Albrecht's bone | A small bone between the basioccipital and basisphenoid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| allogeneic bone marrow transplant | <haematology, procedure> A bone marrow transplant using marrow collected from a matched healthy donor, usually a brother or sister. The risks associated with the transplant increase with age and 50 years of age is generally regarded as the upper limit. (13 Nov 1997) |
| alveolar bone | That portion of bone in either the maxilla or the mandible which surrounds and supports the teeth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alveolar bone loss | The resorption of bone in the supporting structures of the maxilla or mandible as a result of periodontal disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alveolar supporting bone | alveolar process |
| amyloidosis: bone manifestations | <radiology> Joint pain without radiographic findings, osteoporosis, especially in axial skeleton, lytic lesions that destroy cortex and invade soft tissue, wrist, scaphoid and lunate lesions that may extend into the carpal tunnel, inducing the classic complaints of carpal tunnel syndrome amyloid arthropathy Differential diagnosis: pigmented villonodular synovitis, synovial chondromatosis, rheumatoid arthritis, TB (12 Dec 1998) |
| aneurysmal bone cyst | <radiology> ABC, 10 - 30 yrs, 75% before skeletal maturity, sites: long bones; also, flat bones Findings: metaphyseal if unfused, metaepiphyseal after fusion, lytic, expansile, thin, continuous rim, thin internal bony strands (12 Dec 1998) |
| ankle bone | 1. <anatomy> The astragalus. 2. <surgery> A variety of clubfoot (Talipes calcaneus). See the Note under Talipes. 1. A slope; the inclination of the face of a work. 2. <geology> A sloping heap of fragments of rock lying at the foot of a precipice. Origin: L, the ankle, the ankle bone. (26 Nov 1998) |
| anterior condyloid canal of occipital bone | The canal through which the hypoglossal nerve emerges from the skull. Synonym: canalis hypoglossalis, anterior condyloid canal of occipital bone, anterior condyloid foramen. (05 Mar 2000) |