| tumour progression | <oncology> Second stage of tumour development. See: tumour initiation. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| tumour promoter | <molecular biology, oncology> Agent that in classical studies of carcinogenesis in rodent skin was able to increase the sensitivity of tumour formation by a previously applied primary carcinogen, but was unable to induce tumours when used alone. Important example was croton oil, active ingredients of which are now believed to be phorbol esters. These are believed to act as analogues of diacylglycerols and may activate protein kinase C. Strictly speaking, not the same as a co carcinogen, which is defined as being active when administered at the same time. Tumour promoters generally are carcinogens when tested more stringently. (18 Nov 1997) |
| tumour registry | Recorded information about the status of patients with tumours. Although a registry was originally the place (like registry house in edinburgh) where information was collected (in registers), the word registry has also come to mean the collection itself. A tumour registry is organised so the data can be analyzed. For example, analysis of data in a tumour registry maintained at a hospital may show a rise in lung cancer among women. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tumour specific antigen | <immunology, oncology> Antigen on tumour cells detected by cell-mediated immunity. For virus transformed cells TSTA (unlike T antigen) is found to differ for different individual tumours induced by the same virus. May consist of fragments of T antigens exposed at the cell surface. (18 Nov 1997) |
| tumour stage | <oncology> The extent of the spread of a malignant neoplasm from its site of origin. See: TNM staging. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tumour stem cell assay | <investigation> A cytologic technique for measuring the functional capacity of tumour stem cells by assaying their activity. It is used primarily for the in vitro testing of antineoplastic agent. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tumour stem cells | <cell biology> Colony-forming cells which give rise to neoplasms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tumour suppressor | <molecular biology, oncology> A gene that encodes a product that normally negatively regulates the cell cycle and that must be mutated or otherwise inactivated before a cell can proceed to rapid division. Examples: p53, RB retinoblastoma), WT 1 (Wilm's tumour), DCC (deleted in colonic carcinoma), NF 1 (neurofibrosarcoma) and APC adenomatous polyposis coli). (18 Nov 1997) |
| tumour virus | <oncology, virology> Virus capable of inducing tumours. (18 Nov 1997) |
| tumour virus infections | Infections produced by oncogenic viruses. The infections caused by DNA viruses are less numerous but more diverse than those caused by the RNA oncogenic viruses. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tumour viruses, murine | Species of mammalian type c retroviruses (retroviruses type c, mammalian) that cause solid tumours or leukaemias in mice. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tumour-associated antigen | Antigens that are highly correlated with certain tumour cells. They are not usually found, or are found to a lesser extent, on normal cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte | <haematology, oncology> Special cancer-fighting cells of the immune system found in tumours. In a type of experimental therapy, scientists harvest these cells from the tumour, grow them in a laboratory and then return them to the patient with the hope of the cells destroying the tumour. These cells can be collected from the site of a tumour and exposed to IL-2 in vitro. When these cells are injected back into the tumour bearing host, they will specifically kill the tumour from which they originated. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tumour-specific transplantation antigens | Surface antigen's of DNA tumour virus-transformed cells, which elicit an immune rejection of the virus-free cells when transplanted into an animal that has been immunised against the specific cell-transforming virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tumouraffin | Synonym: oncotropic. Origin: tumour + L. Affinis, related to (05 Mar 2000) |
| ascitic tumour | <oncology> A tumour of the abdominal cavity which often causes oedema in that cavity. (09 Oct 1997) |
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| Bednar tumour | An uncommon variant of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans containing heavily pigmented dendritic melanocytes scattered between spindle cells of the tumour. Synonym: Bednar tumour, storiform neurofibroma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| benign nasal tumour | A benign tumour of the posterior nasopharynx that is most common in adolescent boys. Symptoms repeated epistaxis, nasal congestion, nasal discharge and hearing loss. A skull X-ray or a CT scan of the head can confirm the presence of an angiofibroma. Treatment may include the surgical removal of the lesion if it is enlarging or blocking the airway. (27 Sep 1997) |
| benign tumour | <oncology> A nonmalignant clone of neoplastic cells that does not invade locally or spread to other parts of the body (metastasise), having lost growth control but not positional control. Usually surrounded by a fibrous capsule of compressed tissue. (29 Sep 1997) |
| blood tumour | Term sometimes used to denote an aneurysm, haemorrhagic cyst, or haematoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bone tumour | <oncology> A general term that includes both malignant growths (cancer) and benign growths in bone. most cancer in bone tissue is secondary to spread (metastasis) from a distant primary cancer (for example prostate cancer). Primary bone cancer (for example osteogenic sarcoma) or cancer that arises from the bone cells, is relatively rare. (27 Sep 1997) |
| borderline tumour | A neoplasm of the ovary, usually arising in young women, composed of complex epithelial hyperplasia without stromas invasion; may recur if incompletely removed surgically, but is clinically less aggressive than carcinoma. Synonym: low malignant potential tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brain tumour | <oncology, tumour> May be subdivided into primary brain tumours and the more common, secondary brain tumours. Primary brain tumours (for example astrocytoma, craniopharyngioma, glioma, ependymoma, neuroglioma, oligodendroglioma, glioblastoma multiforme, meningioma, medulloblastoma) arise from the uncontrolled proliferation of cells within the brain. Secondary brain tumours occur from the spread of cancer into the brain from a distant cancerous organ (metastasis). Common symptoms of a brain tumour include headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, change in mentation, neurologic symptoms and loss of memory. (17 Dec 1997) |
| brain tumour calcifications | <radiology> Oligodendroglioma (90%), craniopharyngioma (70%), ependymoma (60%), choroid plexus papilloma (25%), low-grade astrocytoma (20%), meningioma (10%), others, dermoid, pineal tumours, lipoma, caveat: a calcified intraparenchymal tumour is most likely to be an astrocytoma due to higher overall incidence relative to other tumours mentioned above. Source: Duke review manual (12 Dec 1998) |
| brenner tumour | A tumour of the ovary whose structure consists of groups of epithelial cells lying in a fibrous connective tissue stroma. Brenner tumours are uncommon, representing less than 1% of all ovarian neoplasms. Malignant brenner tumours are unilateral. Brenner tumours are ordinarily found incidentally in ovaries removed for other reasons, especially in postmenopausal women. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Brooke's tumour | <tumour> Multiple small benign nodules, occurring mostly on the skin of the face, derived from basal cells of hair follicles enclosing small keratin cysts; frequent autosomal dominant inheritance. Synonym: acanthoma adenoides cysticum, Brooke's tumour, epithelioma adenoides cysticum, hereditary multiple trichoepithelioma. Origin: tricho-+ epithelioma (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown tumour | A mass of fibrous tissue containing haemosiderin-pigmented macrophages and multinucleated giant cells, replacing and expanding part of a bone in primary hyperparathyroidism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Buschke-Lowenstein tumour | A large type of condyloma acuminatum found in the anus, vulva, or preputial sac of the penis of middle-aged, uncircumcised men; it tends to extend deeply and recur. Synonym: Buschke-Lowenstein tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumour | A benign epithelial odontogenic neoplasm derived from the stratum intermedium of the enamel organ; a painless, slowly growing, mixed radiolucent-radiopaque lesion characterised histologically by cords of polyhedral epithelial cells, deposits of amyloid, and spherical calcifications. Synonym: Pindborg tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| carcinoid tumour | A tumour which secretes excessive amounts of the hormone serotonin. The clinical result is carcinoid syndrome. These tumours may grow anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract (and in the lungs) with approximately 90% in the appendix. The remainder occur in the ileum, stomach, colon or rectum. (27 Sep 1997) |