Acupressure
Treatment of symptoms by applying pressure with the fingers to specific pressure points on the body.

Acupuncture
A procedure used in or adapted from Chinese medical practice in which specific body areas are pierced with fine needles for therapeutic purposes or to relieve pain or produce regional anesthesia. The use of fine needles being placed just under the skin to relieve pain and open energy flow.

Acute Pain
Pain lasting a short time.

Addiction
An emotional need for pain medication because of the feeling that is received from the medicine.

Adjuvant
A drug that has a purpose other than pain control, but may be added alone or with other pain medicines to control pain.

Allergic Reaction
Usually a life threatening event, such as difficulty breathing, rash that is raised and covers body after medicine is started.

Allodynia
Pain caused by a stimulus that normally is not painful.

Alpha Agonist
A substance/chemical that excites an alpha receptor causing some action.

Analgesic
Medicine used to control pain.

Analgesic Ladder
Method defined by the World Health Organization to rate pain and use medicine based on this rating.

Androgen Ablation
Decrease in male hormones, in particular testosterone, through medication, surgery or radiation.

Anemia
A condition caused by an abnormally low level of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, which is a common side effect of cancer itself or therapy used to treat cancer; symptoms include debilitating fatigue, weakness, dizziness, inability to concentrate, and shortness of breath. While anemia was traditionally treated with blood transfusions, medications that stimulate red blood cell production now offer a safer alternative.

Anesthesiologists
A physician that administers medicines to prevent or relieve pain, usually during surgery, but can manage medicines anytime there is a need for pain control.

Anorexia
The lack or loss of appetite, resulting in the inability to eat.

Antimicrobial agent
A general term for drugs, chemicals, or other substances that either kill or slow the growth of microbes. Among the antimicrobial agents are antibacterial drugs, antiviral agents, antifungal agents, and antiparisitic drugs.

Anxiety
An uneasy feeling, or a feeling of apprehension

Arithmetic
The mathematics of integers, rational numbers, real numbers, or complex numbers under addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Arterial blood gases
A test where blood is drawn from the artery to test the amount of oxygen and other gasses that are present in the bloodstream.

Ascites
A collection of fluid in the abdomen.

Autonomy
Independence; self-determination, self-governance.

Basophils
Basophils are usually less than 0.0-2.0% of all white blood cells; their function is not understood well but is thought to be involved in long term allergy reactions.

Benzodiazepines
A group of medications often used as sedatives.

Biofeedback
Method of learning to control muscles to help control pain with the help of a licensed technician.

Blood Transfusion
A procedure to replace blood cells (red or white), platelets, or plasma protein destroyed by cancer treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation; blood transfusions can result in complications such as fever, allergic disorders, infections, and suppression of the immune system in about 20 percent of cases; medications that stimulate red blood cell production offer a safer alternative.

Body Image
The way a person thinks his/her body looks, smells or appears to their partner.

Body Mass Index
A value that estimates obesity that is obtained by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Age is also considered.

Breakthrough Pain
Pain that occurs between doses of scheduled pain medicine.

Bronchus
One of the two main branches of the trachea leading into the lungs.

Breast Prosthesis
A form made from silicone or other material that looks like a breast and is placed in a special bra made for women who have had breast removal.

Cancer Cachexia
A complex metabolic syndrome composed of weight loss, anorexia, and wasting of the patient’s muscle body mass secondary to the growing malignancy; it is different from protein-calorie malnutrition seen in starvation.

Cancer-related Fatigue
A feeling of debilitating tiredness or total lack of energy that can last for days, weeks, or months; commonly caused by anemia, fatigue is the side effect of chemotherapy that affects patients the most – more than nausea, pain, or depression; symptoms include feeling weak or worn out, having difficulties climbing stairs, walking short distances, and performing simple daily tasks; proper nutrition, light exercise, short naps, and medications may help alleviate the fatigue.

Cardiomyopathy
A disease affecting the heart muscle, limiting its ability to pump normally.

Chemotherapy
Medicine used to treat or control cancer cells by interfering with their growth and/or preventing their reproduction; although chemotherapy is significantly improving the survival rates of cancer patients, side effects, such as fatigue, often accompany this treatment.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
A group of chronic diseases that affect the lungs, including emphysema. The lungs become less elastic, and the breathing becomes slowed or forced.

Chronic Pain
May be mild or severe and is present for long periods of time.

Circadian Rhythms
Events in the body that occurs at approximately 24 hour intervals

Collagen
A very strong protein that is found in bone, cartilage and other connective tissues that helps give structure and support.

Cognitive Functioning
The mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment.

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy
An approach to psychology that emphasizes internal mental processes and their influences on behavior.

Colostomy
Part of the large intestine is removed (colon) and the bowel is brought up through a surgical opening in the abdomen. Stool (bowel movement) now comes from the large bowel to an opening in the abdomen rather than out the rectum and is expelled into a bag.

Congestive Heart Failure
A build-up of fluid in the lungs and other body tissues resulting in heart failure.

Constipation
Difficulty moving the bowels due to hard, dry stools, irregular bowel movements.

Deconditioning
To cause to decline from a condition of physical fitness, as through a prolonged period of inactivity.

Dehydration
Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that cause vomiting or diarrhea may, for example, lead to dehydration. There are a number of other causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise (e.g., in a marathon), kidney disease, and medications (diuretics).

Delirium
An acute, reversible organic mental disorder characterized by reduced ability to maintain attention to external stimuli and disorganized thinking as manifested by rambling, irrelevant or incoherent speech.

Desire
The interest you have in sex.

Dietitian
A health professional with special training in nutrition who can provide nutritional information, answer questions and suggest choices of foods a person eats and drinks; also called a nutritionist.

Differential
This is a section of a complete blood count (CBC); it looks at five different types of white blood cells including: neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. They are reported individually as a percentage of the total number of WBC; the percentages are multiplied by the total number of white blood cells to get the absolute count.

Distraction
Learning to direct pain at something other than pain.

Dyesthesia
Unpleasant abnormal sensation resulting from activities that normally do not cause pain.

Dyspnea
Breathing distress or shortness of breath - a common symptom of lung cancer caused by compromised lung function; dyspnea can be aggravated by anemia, resulting in debilitating fatigue.

Early Satiety
The feeling of being full after eating only a small portion of a regular diet; it inhibits the urge to eat.

Ejaculation
When sperm comes out of the penis.

Electroconvulsive therapy
Administration of electric current to the brain through electrodes placed on the head in order to induce seizure activity in the brain, used in the treatment of certain mental disorders, especially severe depression; also called electroshock, electroshock therapy.

Electrolytes
Chemicals in the blood that can carry electricity. Examples include sodium, potassium and chloride.

Eosinophils
Eosinophils normally make up only 0.0-7.0%of white blood cells; they are involved in allergic reactions and parasite invasions.

Epidural
Medicine placed in the spinal cord with a needle; the epidural space lies between the wall of the spinal canal and the covering of the spinal cord.

Erectile dysfunction
This is when a man is impotent. It may also be called "ED".

Erection
A hard or rigid penis that is ready for sexual activity.

Erythropoietin
A protein made in the kidney that stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.

Estrogenic Activity
Having the ability to cause effects similar to estrogen.

Excitement
When you get "turned on" and ready for sex.

Executive Functions
The ability to oversee or carry out the performance of something.

Fatigue Self Assessment Scale
A scale that provides varying descriptions of fatigue levels to help patients assess the fatigue that they are experiencing and enable them to discuss the rating with a nurse or doctor.

Femininity
How you feel about yourself as a woman.

Gastrointestinal tract
The tube that extends from the mouth to the anus in which the movement of muscles and release of hormones and enzymes digest food. The gastrointestinal tract starts with the mouth and proceeds to the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum and, finally, the anus. It is also called the alimentary canal, digestive tract and, perhaps most often in conversation, the GI tract.

Gynecologic
Involving the female reproductive organs.

Half-life
The time need for the body/tissues to inactivate half of the amount of a drug.

Healthcare Team
Physician, nurse, dietitian, social worker, physical therapist, pastoral care are core members of the team; it may be expanded, as health needs change.

Hematocrit
(HCT) hematocrit reflects the percentage of blood volume that is made up of red blood cells (erythrocytes).

Hemoglobin
(HGB) hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Hemoptysis
When a person coughs up blood.

Hyperalgesia
Increased perception of pain from a noxious stimulus that normally is not this intense.

Hyperesthesia
Increased sensation to touch.

Hypoxemic
Not getting enough oxygen.

Hysterectomy
Removal of the uterus, cervix, and sometime the ovaries.

Ileostomy
The entire large intestine is removed and the small bowel is brought up through surgical opening onto the abdomen. Stool is liquid and comes directly from the small bowel to an opening in the abdomen rather than out the rectum and is expelled into a bad in liquid form.

Imagery
The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas; the use of expressive or evocative images in art, literature, or music; a group or body of related images, as in a painting or poem.

Immune system
The complex system by which the body resists infection by microbes, such as bacteria or viruses, and rejects transplanted tissues or organs; the immune system may also help the body fight some cancers.

Inflammation
A basic way in which the body reacts to infection, irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain. Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response.

Impotence
When you are not able to have an erection that is hard enough or lasts long enough to have intercourse. This is not the same as being sterile.

Infertility
When you are not able to parent a child due to, in males, low sperm count or no sperm, or, in females due to few eggs or ovum or no eggs or ovum. This is caused by some chemotherapies or if the testes or ovaries are in the radiation field.

Intramuscular injection
Medicine given through a needle into the muscle, sometimes called an IM.

Intrathecal Injection
Medicine is given with a needle directly into the fluid around the spinal cord.

Intravenous Injection
Medicine given with a needle into the vein, usually through an intravenous line (IV).

Kegel Exercises
Named after a doctor from the US, a type of exercise that is designed to strengthen muscles in the pelvic area - the same muscles that help with emptying the bladder and colon.

Lesion (s)
A lesion can be almost any abnormality involving any tissue or organ due to any disease or any injury.

Lhermitte's sign
A sudden, transient electric current-like sensation that extends down the spine, triggered by flexing the head forward.

Local anesthetic
A medication applied directly to the tissues in the mouth to provide local relief of pain in the mouth. This may be a liquid that you swish and spit, swish and swallow, or one that you "paint" on the sore areas.

Long-term Memory
Your general store of remembered information.

Lumpectomy
When a lump only is removed from the breast.

Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes normally make up 16.0-45% of white blood cells; there are two types of lymphocytes; T-cells and B-cells; both are important for fighting infection.

Malnutrition
Any disorder of nutrition where the body lacks necessary nutrients; causes can be an unbalanced, insufficient, or excessive diet, or the inability of the body to use nutrients.

Masculinity
How you feel about yourself as a man.

Massage
Family member or a licensed practitioner manipulating soft tissues and/or applying pressure to the body.

Mastectomy
Having surgery to remove the breast.

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin
(MCH) the measure of hemoglobin content of red blood cells.

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration
(MCHC) the measure of concentration of hemoglobin in the average red blood cell.

Mean Corpuscular Volume
(MCV) measures the average volume or size of individual red blood cells.

Mean Platelet Volume
(MPV) describes the size of the platelets.

Metastasis
Moving from one part of the body to another.

Monocytes
Monocytes make up 4-10% of white blood cells; they attack germs and signal the immune system when they find them.

Motor Nerves
Peripheral nerves that help you move and maintain muscle tone.

Mucous
Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the body.

Mucosal membranes
Concerning any mucosal membrane.

Mucositis
Inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract from the mouth on down to the anus. Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy and of radiotherapy that involves any part of the digestive tract.

Multidisciplinary
The process of making use of several disciplines at once.

Muscarinic Action
Effecting receptors involved in the parasympathetic nervous system (part of the nervous system that involves involuntary body functions like slowing the heart rate).

Nebulized
Medicine is changed to a fine spray or mist to be breathed directly into the lungs.

Nerve Block
Procedure used to inject medicine such as a local anesthetic, which may be combined with a steroid around a nerve or into the spine.

Neuroendocrine
The interaction between the brain and the endocrine system.

Neurologists
A special type of physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the nervous system.

Neurosurgeons
Physicians trained in surgery of the nervous system

Neurotransmitters
A substance, such as serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine, that is released when a nerve cell connection is excited. These substances can bind to another cell and cause some sort of effect.

Neutropenia
Neutropenia is an abnormally small number of neutrophil cells (type of white blood cells that help fight infection) that occurs as a result of certain cancer treatments.

Non-pharmacologic
Treatment without the use of drugs or medicine.

Normal Flora
The population of microbes inhabiting the outside or inside surfaces of people (or other animals). Also, the population of plants including flowers, usually in a particular area.

Nutrients
Chemical substances that make up food; these compounds are used by the body to function and grow.

Nutrition
Taking and utilizing food and other nourishing material by the body for its many activities, growth, and maintenance; nutrition is a 3-part process; first, food or drink is consumed; second, the body breaks down the food or drink into nutrients; third, the nutrients travel through the blood stream to different part of the body where they are used as "fuel" and for many other purposes; to give the body proper nutrition, a person has to eat and drink enough of the foods that contain key nutrients.

Oncologists
A physician trained in diagnosing and treating cancer.

Opioids
Medicines often called “narcotics” that are synthetic drugs containing opium used to control pain.

Oral Route
Medicines given by the mouth.

Orgasm
When you climax or cum.

Organisms
Living things which in this case are microscopic and can cause changes in the human body. Are often referred to as "germs". May be bacteria, yeasts, fungi, protozoa.

Oropharyngeal
The part of the throat between the soft palate and the epiglottis.

Oropharyngeal cavity
The area in the back of the mouth and upper throat. Portion of pharynx between the soft palate and upper portion of epiglottis.

Outlet Resistance (increasing)
Making the passage from the bladder to the tube through which urine passes more tense (more resistance).

Pain Scale
Method used to allow consistent measurement of pain.

Palpitations
A feeling of the heart beating very rapidly or at an irregular rate.

Paresthesis
Sensation of numbness, tingling, or "pins and needles."

Patient Controlled Analgesia
Method by which a patient can control the amount of pain medicine they need by using a computerized pump to receive a preset amount of medicine, usually given through an intravenous or epidural site.

Pericardiocentesis
A procedure to remove excess fluid which has collected in the pericardial sac. A needle is inserted into the sac and the fluid is gently pulled out by suction.

Pericardial Effusion
An accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac (sac surrounding the heart).

Pericardial Window
A surgical procedure done to allow drainage of a pericardial effusion.

Pessimism
A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest view.

Pharmacologic
Treatment using drugs or medicine.

Physiatrists
A physician trained in rehabilitative and physical medicine.

Physical Dependence
Occurs when a drug is taken over a period of time. Patient may experience sign of withdrawal if stopped abruptly.

Placebo
Inactive substance.

Platelets
Platelets are an important blood cell need for clotting the blood; they help to stop bleeding by forming clots.

Pleural Effusion
A collection of fluid between the lungs and the interior wall of the chest (pleural cavity).

Portal of entry
The way by which infectious organisms gain access to the body.

Position Sense
An awareness of where your feet, legs, hands, and arms are.

Prevalence
A measure of the proportion of persons in the population with a certain disease or condition at a given time.

Prosthesis
An object that takes the place of a body part such as an artificial limb when a leg is amputated, or a silicone breast can be placed into a bra when a breast has been removed.

Pseudomembrane
A thin coating that forms over some ulcerations during mucositis. It may be whitish or yellowish in appearance.

Psychomotor Slowing
Pertaining to motor effects of cerebral or psychic activity; movement produced by action of the mind or will.

Psychotherapy
The treatment of mental and emotional disorders through the use of psychological techniques designed to encourage communication of conflicts and insight into problems, with the goal being relief of symptoms, changes in behavior leading to improved social and vocational functioning, and personality growth.

Quality of life
An important consideration in medical care, quality of life refers to the patient's ability to enjoy normal life activities. Some medical treatments can seriously impair quality of life without much overall health benefit, while others greatly enhance quality of life.

Radiation Oncologists
A physician who specializes in the use of radioactive substance and x-rays for the treatment of tumors and cancer.

Radiation Therapy
Use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutron, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Randomized
A method used to assign people to different groups in a research study - it is a method that is like rolling the dice.

Receptors
The part of a cell that can combine with a drug, hormone or other chemical. This connection usually causes the cell to do something.

Rectal Suppositories
Medicines that are placed in the rectum, where it is absorbed.

Red Blood Cells
RBCs are mature red blood cells and are also known as erythrocytes; RBCs are responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood to organs and tissues. Cells produced in the bone marrow, containing hemoglobin, that carry oxygen to all parts of the body, providing energy needed for normal activities; when an insufficient number of red blood cells is produced, hemoglobin levels drop and the blood is no longer able to carry enough oxygen to nourish the body’s tissues.

Renal Insufficiency
When the kidneys are not able to function normally.

Resolution
When your body returns to an unexcited state.

Sclerosis
A thickening, or hardening of tissues.

Self-stimulation
This is the same as masturbation. This is when you stimulate your own sex organs and have an orgasm.

Semen
Fluid containing sperm.

Sensation
Feeling and perception.

Sensory nerves
Peripheral nerves that help you feel pain, temperature, vibration, and position. These nerves communicate the various sensations to your brain for interpretation.

Short-term Memory
What you can repeat immediately after perceiving it.

Side Effect
A secondary effect of medicine such as nausea, dry mouth, constipation or drowsiness.

Signs
Changes that can be seen.

Skin Patch
A small patch that contains medicine placed on the skin.

Standard Deviations
A term used in statistics that measures how much of a difference there is in a particular group or between groups.

Stocking-glove distribution
Refers to the most common areas on your body where peripheral neuropathy is noticed; in most cases, it does not go above your wrist or over your ankles.

Stomatitis
Inflammation of the mouth.

Subcutaneous Injections
Medicine is given with a small needle under the skin.

Suprapubic Tissues
Tissues in the groin area above the pubic arch.

Surgery
Used to repair or remove diseased part of body.

Symptoms
Changes that you feel, but may not be visible to others.

Systemic
Affecting the entire body.

Tinnitus
Tinnitus is a ringing, swishing, or other noise that is heard in the ears or head. It is a symptom of an underlying condition.

Thoracentesis
A procedure done to remove fluid that has collected in the pleural cavity, the space between the lungs and the interior wall of the chest. The procedure is done by inserting a needle between the ribs and into the pleural cavity. Gentle suction is applied and the fluid is removed.

Tolerance
Drug is no longer effective at the present dose because the body had adjusted and now needs a higher dose.

Total Neutrophils
The total neutrophil count gives the percent of white blood cells that are neutrophils; neutrophils (also known as polymorphonuclear cells or Polys) fight bacterial infections; normally they account for 45.0-74.0% of all white blood cells.

Trachea
Commonly called the windpipe, this tube extends from the larynx (voice box) down to the bronchi. Air passes from the mouth and nose through the trachea and into the lungs.

Tracheostomy
Opening in the neck area that allows a person to breath. This can be permanent or temporary.

Ulcers
Open sores or areas of irritation that occur with mucositis.

Urethra
Opening where urine comes out of the bladder.

Urinary Sphincter
The muscle that controls the flow of urine from the bladder.

White Blood Cell
White blood cells (also known as leukocytes) are scavengers that are able to kill bacteria and other invaders; the white blood cell count (or leukocyte count) includes the total number of all the white blood cells; there are 2 types of WBC or leukocytes including granulocytes and agranulocytes; granulocytes include young neutrophils, segmented neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils; agranulocytes include lymphocytes and monocytes.

Xerostomia
Dry mouth. The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet due to poor function of the salivary glands. It is caused by damage to the salivary glands.