| follicular cancer of the thyroid | <oncology, tumour> A cancer of the thyroid gland that occurs with increased frequency in those who have had radiation exposure to the neck. Other risk factors include a family history of thyroid disease and history for goitre. Follicular carcinoma constitutes about 30% of all thyroid cancers. It has a greater rate of recurrence and metastasis than that of papillary carcinoma (the most common form of thyroid cancer). Symptoms include enlargement of the thyroid gland or neck swelling, change in voice, cough (occasionally bloody) and diarrhoea. (12 Nov 1997) |
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| laryngeal cancer | A malignant (cancerous) tumour of the larynx. Presentation includes a progressively hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing and weight loss. Risk factors include smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. (27 Sep 1997) |
| Li-Fraumeni cancer syndrome | <syndrome> Familial breast cancer in young women, with soft-tissue sarcomas in children and other cancers in close relatives. (05 Mar 2000) |
| liver cancer | <oncology, tumour> A tumour of the liver. most cancer involving the liver is spread (metastatic) from other areas (colon, breast or lung). See: hepatoma. (27 Sep 1997) |
| localised cancer | A cancer still confined to its site of origin. (09 Oct 1997) |
| lung cancer | A cancerous growth in lung tissue. Lung cancer may be metastatic from another source (colon) or may be primary (tumour is of lung cell origin). Classification is based on the type of cell the lung cancer originates from (adenocarcinoma, alveolar cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell and small cell carcinomas). (27 Sep 1997) |
| acetone-insoluble antigen | A diphosphatidyl glycerol that is found in the membrane of Treponema pallidum and is the antigen detected by the Wasserman test for syphilis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| allogeneic antigen | Genetic variations of the same antigens within a given species. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antigen | Virus coded cell surface antigens that appear soon after the infection of a cell by virus, but before virus replication has begun. See: early gene. (18 Nov 1997) |
| antigen-antibody complex | The complex formed by the binding of antigen and antibody molecules. The deposition of large antigen-antibody complexes leading to tissue damage causes immune complex diseases. If the antigen is polyvalent the complex may be insoluble. Immune complexes activate complement through the classical pathway. See: glomerulonephritis, Arthus reaction, type III hypersensitivity. (12 Dec 1998) |
| antigen-antibody reaction | The phenomenon, occurring in vitro or in vivo, of antibody combining with antigen of the type that stimulated the formation of the antibody, thereby resulting in agglutination, precipitation, complement fixation, greater susceptibility to ingestion and destruction by phagocytes, or neutralization of exotoxin. See: skin test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antigen-binding site | <immunology> In immune network theory, an idiotope, an antigenic site of an antibody that is responsible for that antibody binding to an antigenic determinant (epitope). Also used of the site on a ligand molecule to which a cell surface receptor binds. (18 Nov 1997) |
| antigen-combining site | See: paratope. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antigen excess | In a precipitation test, the presence of uncombined antigen above that required to combine with all of the antibody; precipitation may be inhibited because the presence of excess antigen gives rise to soluble antigen-antibody complexes, in vivo the resultant antigen-antibody interaction in such an antigen excess may give rise to immune complexes, which have a potential to induce cellular damage; such injury underlies the pathologic changes seen in certain immune complex diseases. (05 Mar 2000) |
| antigen interferon | <cytokine> Interferon elaborated by T lymphocytes in response to either specific antigen or mitogenic stimulation. This type II interferon can be produced by recombinant DNA technology and is similar to the interferon secreted by lymphocytes and has antiviral and antineoplastic activity. Synonym: antigen interferon, immune interferon. Pharmacological action: antineoplastic agent, antiviral agents. (20 Sep 2002) |