What You Need to Know about  Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Glossary

abdomen (AB-do-men): The part of the body that contains the pancreas, stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, and other organs.

benign (beh-NINE): Not cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.

biological therapy (by-o-LAHJ-i-kul): Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Also used to lessen side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. Also called immunotherapy or biological response modifier (BRM) therapy.

biopsy (BY-ahp-see): A procedure used to remove cells or tissues in order to look at them under a microscope to check for signs of disease. When an entire tumor or lesion is removed, the procedure is called an excisional biopsy. When only a sample of tissue is removed, the procedure is called an incisional biopsy or core biopsy. When a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle, the procedure is called a needle biopsy or fine-needle aspiration.

bone marrow : The soft, sponge-like tissue in the center of bones that produces white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

bone marrow biopsy (BY-ahp-see): The removal of a sample of tissue from the bone marrow with a needle for examination under a microscope.

bone marrow transplantation (trans-plan-TAY-shun): A procedure to replace bone marrow destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation. Transplantation may be autologous (the person's marrow saved before treatment), allogeneic (marrow donated by someone else), or syngeneic (marrow donated by an identical twin).

cancer : A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

chemotherapy (kee-mo-THER-a-pee): Treatment with anticancer drugs.

clinical trial : A research study that tests how well new medical treatments or other interventions work in people. Each study is designed to test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease.

CT scan : Computed tomography scan. A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body; the pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. Also called computed axial tomography (CAT) scan.

diaphragm (DYE-a-fram): The thin muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen.

external radiation (ray-dee-AY-shun): Radiation therapy that uses a machine to aim high-energy rays at the cancer. Also called external-beam radiation.

fertility (fer-TIL-i-tee): The ability to produce children.

groin : The area where the thigh meets the abdomen.

immune system (im-YOON): The complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infection or disease.

IV : Intravenous (in-tra-VEE-nus). Injected into a blood vessel.

laparotomy (lap-a-RAH-toe-mee): A surgical incision made in the wall of the abdomen.

leukemia (loo-KEE-mee-a): Cancer of blood-forming tissue.

local therapy : Treatment that affects cells in the tumor and the area close to it.

lymph (limf): The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease.

lymph node : A rounded mass of lymphatic tissue that is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. Also known as a lymph gland. Lymph nodes are spread out along lymphatic vessels and they contain many lymphocytes, which filter the lymphatic fluid (lymph).

lymphatic system (lim-FAT-ik): The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infection and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes and a network of thin tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells. These tubes branch, like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body.

lymphocyte (LIM-fo-site): A type of white blood cell that has a number of roles in the immune system. Some lymphocytes act as tumor-killing cells. Other lymphocytes produce antibodies or other substances that fight cancer, infection, and other diseases. The main types of lymphocytes are T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells.

lymphoma (lim-FO-ma): Cancer that arises in cells of the lymphatic system.

malignant (ma-LIG-nant): Cancerous; a growth with a tendency to invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

medical oncologist (on-KOL-o-jist): A doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy. A medical oncologist often serves as the person's main caretaker and coordinates treatment provided by other specialists.

MRI : Magnetic resonance imaging (mag-NET-ik REZ-o- nans IM-a-jing). A procedure in which a magnet linked to a computer is used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body.

oncology nurse : A nurse who specializes in treating and caring for people who have cancer.

pathologist (pa-THOL-o-jist): A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

peripheral stem cell transplantation (per-IF-er-al): A method of replacing blood-forming cells destroyed by cancer treatment. Immature blood cells (stem cells) in the circulating blood that are similar to those in the bone marrow are given to the person after treatment to help the bone marrow recover and continue producing healthy blood cells. Transplantation may be autologous (the person's blood cells saved earlier), allogeneic (blood cells donated by someone else), or syngeneic (blood cells donated by an identical twin). Also called peripheral stem cell support.

prognosis (prog-NO-sis): The likely outcome or course of a disease; the chance of recovery.

radiation oncologist (ray-dee-AY-shun on-KOL-o-jist): A doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer.

radiation therapy (ray-dee-AY-shun): The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, neutrons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy) or from material called radioisotopes. Radioisotopes produce radiation and are placed in or near a tumor or near cancer cells. This type of radiation treatment is called internal radiation therapy, implant radiation, or brachytherapy. Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that circulates throughout the body. Also called radiotherapy.

recurrence : The return of cancer, at the same site as the original (primary) tumor or in another location, after it had disappeared.

Reed-Sternberg cell : A type of cell that appears in people with Hodgkin's disease. The number of these cells increases as the disease advances.

remission : Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer. When this happens, the disease is said to be "in remission." A remission may be temporary or permanent.

risk factor : Anything that increases the chance of developing a disease.

side effects : Problems that occur when treatment affects healthy cells. Common side effects of cancer treatment are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and mouth sores.

sperm banking : Freezing sperm for use in the future. This procedure can allow men to father children after loss of fertility.

spleen : An organ that is part of the lymphatic system. The spleen produces lymphocytes, filters the blood, stores blood cells, and destroys old blood cells. The spleen is on the left side of the abdomen near the stomach.

stage : The extent of a cancer within the body, including whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. Staging refers to the determination of the extent of cancer.

systemic therapy (sis-TEM-ik): Treatment that uses substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cells all over the body.

thymus : An organ that is part of the lymphatic system, in which T lymphocytes grow and multiply. The thymus is in the chest behind the breastbone.

tonsils : Small masses of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat.

tumor (TOO-mer): An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division. Tumors perform no useful body function. They may be either benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

x-ray : High-energy radiation used in low doses to diagnose diseases and in high doses to treat cancer.

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