Mesothelioma Glossary

Mesothelioma Glossary

Mesothelioma Glossary

Your Resource For Mesothelioma Related Terms

ANEMIA
a quantitative deficiency of the hemoglobin, often accompanied by a reduced number of red blood cells and causing pallor, weakness, and breathlessness.

ASBESTOS
a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles.

ASBESTOSIS
a lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust.

ASYMPTOMATIC
showing no evidence of disease.

BENIGN
not fatal; not malignant; self-limiting.

BRONCHOSCOPY
an examination by means of a bronchoscope.

BRONCHOSCOPE
a lighted, flexible tubular instrument that is Inserted into the trachea for diagnosis and for removing inhaled objects.

CANCER
A. A malignant and invasive growth or tumor, esp. One originating in epithelium, tending to recur after excision and to metastasize to other sites. B. Any disease characterized by such growths.

CT (COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY) SCAN
a method of examining body organs by scanning them with X rays and using a computer to construct a series of cross-sectional scans along a single axis.

EXTRAPLEURAL PNEUMONECTOMY (EPP)
Surgery to remove a diseased lung, part of the pericardium (membrane covering the heart), part of the diaphragm (muscle between the lungs and the abdomen), and part of the parietal pleura (membrane lining the chest). This type of surgery is used most often to treat malignant mesothelioma.

LAPAROSCOPY
A procedure that uses a laparoscope, inserted through the abdominal wall, to examine the inside of the abdomen. A laparoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease.

LATENT
Describes a condition that is present but not active or causing symptoms.

LUNG CANCER
Cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. The two main types are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These types are diagnosed based on how the cells look under a microscope.

LYMPH NODES
Small, rounded structures along the small vessels of the lymphatic system that produce disease-fighting white blood cells and filter out harmful microorganisms and toxins from the lymph. Lymph nodes may become enlarged when they are actively fighting infection.

MALIGNANT
Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

MEDIASTINOSCOPY
A procedure in which a mediastinoscope is used to examine the organs in the area between the lungs and nearby lymph nodes. A mediastinoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing. It may also have a tool to remove tissue to be checked under a microscope for signs of disease. The mediastinoscope is inserted into the chest through an incision above the breastbone. This procedure is usually done to get a tissue sample from the lymph nodes on the right side of the chest.

MESOTHELIOMA
A benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor affecting the lining of the chest or abdomen. Exposure to asbestos particles in the air increases the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.

MESOTHELIUM
A layer of flattened epithelial cells that lines the membranes of closed body cavities, including the pericardium, pleurae, and peritoneum.

MRI (MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING)
A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called MRI, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and NMRI.

PERICARDIAL MESOTHELIOMA
Cancer of the sac lining that surrounds the heart.

PERICARDIUM
The membranous sac filled with serous fluid that encloses the heart and the roots of the aorta and other large blood vessels.

PERITONEAL MESOTHELIOMA
Cancer of the lining that surrounds the abdominal cavity.

PERITONEUM
the tissue that lines the abdominal wall which is composed of mesothelial cells and is the target organ for abdominal or peritoneal mesothelioma.

PET (POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY)
A procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein, and a scanner is used to make detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body where the glucose is used. Because cancer cells often use more glucose than normal cells, the pictures can be used to find cancer cells in the body.

PLETHYSMOGRAPHY
The measurement and recording of changes in the sizes and volumes of organs and extremities by measuring changes in blood volume.

PLEURA
A thin layer of tissue covering the lungs and lining the interior wall of the chest cavity. It protects and cushions the lungs. This tissue secretes a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant, allowing the lungs to move smoothly in the chest cavity while breathing.

PLEURAL EFFUSION
An abnormal collection of fluid between the thin layers of tissue (pleura) lining the lung and the wall of the chest cavity.

PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA
cancer of the pleura (membrane lining the lungs and chest cavity).

RESIDUAL VOLUME (RV)
The amount of air left in your lungs when you have exhaled as far as you can.

SPIROMETRY
An instrument for determining the capacity of the lungs.

SPUTUM
matter, as saliva mixed with mucus or pus, expectorated from the lungs and respiratory passages.

THORACOSCOPY
Endoscopic examination of the chest cavity.

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