microcalcification(MY-krow-kal-si-fi-KAY-shun) A tiny deposit of calcium in the breast that cannot be felt but can be detected on a mammogram.
Microcalcifications or calcifications(mi'-crow-cal-sih-fih-cay"-shuns) are a finding reported on mammograms. They are an indicator of increased in breast activity in some cells.
microfluidic device(MY-kroh-floo-IH-dik dee-VICE) An instrument that uses very small amounts of fluid on a microchip to do certain laboratory tests.
micrometastasis(MY-kroh-meh-TAS-tuh-sis) Small numbers of cancer cells that have spread from the primary tumor to other parts of the body and are too few to be picked up…
micromolar(MY-kroh-MOH-lur) A concentration of 1/1,000,000 (one millionth) molecular weight per liter (mol/L).
micronutrient(MY-kroh-NOO-tree-ent) A substance the body needs in tiny amounts to grow and stay healthy. Examples are vitamins and minerals.
microorganismAn organism that can be seen only through a microscope. Microorganisms include bacteria, protozoa, algae, and fungi.
microsatelliteA short sequence of DNA, usually 1 to 4 basepairs (a unit of DNA), that is repeated together in a row along the DNA molecule.
microsatellite instability(MY-kroh-SA-teh-lite in-stuh-BIH-lih-tee) A change that occurs in the DNA of certain cells (such as tumor cells) in which the number of repeats of…
microscopicToo small to be seen without a microscope.
microsphere(MY-kroh-sfeer) A very tiny, hollow, round particle made from glass, ceramic, plastic, or other materials.
microstagingA technique used to help determine the stage (extent) of melanoma and certain squamous cell cancers.
microwave acupuncture(MY-kroh-WAYV AK-yoo-PUNK-cher) A type of acupuncture in which a microwave device is attached to an acupuncture needle to give microwave radiation at an…
microwave therapy(MY-kroh-WAYV THAYR-uh-pee) A type of treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures to damage and kill cancer cells or to make cancer…
microwave thermotherapy(MY-kroh-WAYV THER-moh-THAYR-uh-pee) A type of treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures to damage and kill cancer cells or to make…
midazolam(mih-DAY-zoh-lam) A drug used to treat anxiety and tension and to relax muscles.
midazolam hydrochloride(mih-DAY-zoh-lam HY-droh-KLOR-ide) A drug used to treat anxiety and tension and to relax muscles.
midostaurin(MY-doh-STAW-rin) A substance that is being studied in the treatment of leukemia. It belongs to the family of drugs called protein kinase inhibitors.
Mifeprex(MIH-feh-PREX) A drug used to end early pregnancies. It is also being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer and other conditions.
mifepristone(MIH-feh-PRIS-tone) A drug used to end early pregnancies. It is also being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer and other conditions.
milk thistleA plant that has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems, including stomach, liver, and gallbladder disorders.
milligramA measure of weight. A milligram is approximately 450,000 times smaller than a pound and 28,000 times smaller than an ounce.
milliliterA measure of volume for a liquid. A milliliter is approximately 950 times smaller than a quart and 30 times smaller than a fluid ounce.
millimeterA measure of length in the metric system. A millimeter is one thousandth of a meter. There are 25 millimeters in an inch.
mind/body exercise(mind BAH-dee EK-ser-SIZE) A form of exercise that combines body movement with mental focus and controlled breathing to improve strength, balance…
mindfulness relaxationA type of meditation based on the concept of being "mindful," or having increased awareness, of the present.
mineral oil(MIH-neh-rul OYL) A type of oil that is made from petroleum (mixture of oily liquids found in the earth).
minocycline-EDTA(min-oh-SY-kleen ...) A substance being studied in the treatment of bacterial infections from catheters (flexible tubes used to deliver fluids into or…
Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI)A national HHS initiative that provides special resources to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS…
MIP testA test that measures the strength of the muscles used in breathing. A person inhales and exhales through a device called a manometer, and the pressures…
Miraluma testA type of breast imaging test that is used to detect cancer cells in the breasts of some women who have had abnormal mammograms, or who have dense breast…
mirtazapine(mir-TAZ-a-peen) A drug used to treat depression. It belongs to the family of drugs called antidepressant agents. Also called Remeron.
misoprostolA radioprotective agent that belongs to the family of drugs called prostaglandins.
mistletoeA semiparasitic plant that grows on some types of trees. Mistletoe extracts are being studied as treatments for cancer.
mistletoe lectinA substance that comes from the mistletoe plant and that is being studied as a treatment for cancer.
Mithracin(MITH-ruh-sin) A drug used to treat some types of testicular cancer. It is also used to treat a higher-than-normal amounts of calcium in the blood or…
mithramycin(MITH-ruh-MY-sin) A drug used to treat some types of testicular cancer. It is also used to treat a higher-than-normal amounts of calcium in the blood or…
Mitochondria(MY-toh-KON-dree-uh) Small structures in a cell that are found in the cytoplasm (fluid that surrounds the cell nucleus).
mitolactolAn anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called alkylating agents.
mitomycinAn anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called antitumor antibiotics.
Mitosis(my-TOH-sis) The process by which a single parent cell divides to make two new daughter cells.
mitotane(MY-toh-tane) An anticancer drug used in treating adrenocortical cancer and ACTH-producing pituitary tumors (Cushing disease).
mitotic activityHaving to do with the presence of dividing (proliferating) cells. Cancerous tissue generally has more mitotic activity than normal tissues.
mitotic cycle(my-TAH-tik SY-kul) The process a cell goes through each time it divides. The mitotic cycle consists of a series of steps during which the chromosomes and…
mitotic indexIn a population of cells, the ratio of the number of cells undergoing mitosis (cell division) to the number of cells not undergoing mitosis.
mitotic inhibitorA type of drug that blocks cell growth by stopping mitosis (cell division). They are used to treat cancer. Also called antimitotic agent.
mitoxantroneA drug used to treat advanced prostate cancer that does not respond to hormones, adult acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, and advanced or chronic multiple…
mivobulin isethionateAn anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called mitotic inhibitors. Also called CI-980.
mixed glioma(...glee-OH-muh) A brain tumor that forms from more than one type of brain cell, usually astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
MK0752A substance being studied in the treatment of cancer. It blocks signals between growing cells and may kill cancer cells.
MLN2704A substance that is being studied in the treatment of prostate cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antibody drug conjugates.
MLN518A substance being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. It may stop cancer cell growth by blocking certain enzymes and by preventing the…
MLN591DM1A substance that is being studied in the treatment of prostate cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called antibody drug conjugates.
MMMTA rare type of tumor that is a mixture of carcinoma and sarcoma cells. MMMT usually occurs in the uterus.
modafinilA drug that is being studied as a treatment for fatigue in patients with cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called stimulants.
ModalityA method of treatment. For example, surgery and chemotherapy are treatment modalities.
modified radical mastectomy(... RA-dih-kul ma-STEK-toh-mee) Surgery for breast cancer in which the breast, most or all of the lymph nodes under the arm, and the lining over the…
Mohs micrographic surgeryA surgical procedure used to treat skin cancer. Individual layers of cancerous tissue are removed and examined under a microscope one at a time until all…
Mohs surgery(MOZE SER-juh-ree) A surgical procedure used to treat skin cancer. Individual layers of cancerous tissue are removed and examined under a microscope one…
molar pregnancy(MOH-ler PREG-nun-see) A slow-growing tumor that develops from trophoblastic cells (cells that help an embryo attach to the uterus and help form the…
moldA form of fungus. Some molds can cause disease in humans.
moleA benign (noncancerous) growth on the skin that is formed by a cluster of melanocytes (cells that make a substance called melanin, which gives color to…
molecular diagnosis(muh-LEH-kyoo-ler dy-ug-NOH-sis) The process of identifying a disease by studying molecules, such as proteins, DNA, and RNA, in a tissue or fluid.
molecular marker(muh-LEH-kyoo-ler ...) A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a…
molecular massThe sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in a molecule, based on a scale in which the atomic masses of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are 1, 12…
Molecular medicine(muh-LEH-kyoo-ler MEH-dih-sin) A branch of medicine that develops ways to diagnose and treat disease by understanding the way genes, proteins, and other…
Molecular methodsLaboratory techniques that are based on identification and characterization of certain molecules and gene sequences of a pathogen's genetic makeup.
molecular pathway(muh-LEH-kyoo-ler â¦) A series of actions among molecules in a cell that leads to a certain end point or cell function.
molecular risk assessmentA procedure in which biomarkers (for example, biological molecules or changes in tumor cell DNA) are used to estimate a person's risk for developing…
molecularly targeted therapy(muh-LEH-kyuh-ler-lee TAR-geh-ted THAYR-uh-pee) In cancer treatment, substances that kill cancer cells by targeting key molecules involved in cancer cell…
MoleculeThe smallest particle of a substance that has all of the physical and chemical properties of that substance. Molecules are made up of one or more atoms.
mometasone(moh-MEH-tuh-sone) A drug that is used in a cream to treat certain skin conditions and in a nasal spray to treat sinus problems caused by allergies.
mometasone furoate(moh-MEH-tuh-sone FYOOR-oh-ayt) A drug that is used in a cream to treat certain skin conditions and in a nasal spray to treat sinus problems caused by…
monitor(MAH-nih-ter) In medicine, to regularly watch and check a person or condition to see if there is any change.
monoamine oxidase inhibitor(MAH-noh-uh-MEEN OK-sih-dayz in-HIH-bih-ter) A type of drug used to treat depression.
monoclonal antibody(MAH-noh-KLOH-nul AN-tih-BAH-dee) A type of protein made in the laboratory that can locate and bind to substances in the body, including tumor cells.
monoclonal protein(MAH-noh-KLOH-nul PROH-teen) An antibody found in unusually large amounts in the blood or urine of people with multiple myeloma and other types of plasma…
monomer(MAH-nuh-mer) A molecule that can join with other identical monomers to form a larger structure called a polymer.
Montanide ISA-51A drug used in vaccine therapy to stimulate the immune system.
montelukast(mon-teh-LOO-kast) The active ingredient in a drug used to treat symptoms of asthma, such as trouble breathing, tight chest, wheezing, coughing, and runny…
montelukast sodium(mon-teh-LOO-kast SOH-dee-um) A drug used to treat symptoms of asthma, such as trouble breathing, tight chest, wheezing, coughing, and runny nose.
Montgomery Glands(mont-gum'-er-ee glandz) bumps on the areola that secrete a protective lubricant which prepares the breast for breastfeeding.
MORAb-009A monoclonal antibody being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. Monoclonal antibodies are made in the laboratory and can locate and bind to…
MorbidityA disease or the incidence of disease within a population. Morbidity also refers to adverse effects caused by a treatment.
Morinda citrifoliaA tropical shrub. An extract from the fruit is being studied as a treatment for cancer, and extracts from the fruit, leaves, or roots have been used in…
morphineA narcotic drug used in the treatment of pain.
Morphology(mor-FAH-loh-jee) The science of the form and structure of organisms (plants, animals, and other forms of life).
MortalityThe state of being mortal (destined to die). Mortality also refers to the death rate, or the number of deaths in a certain group of people in a certain…
motexafin gadolinium(moh-TEK-suh-fin GA-doh-LIH-nee-um) A substance being studied in the treatment of cancer.
motexafin lutetiumA substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer using photodynamic therapy. It belongs to the family of drugs called metallotexaphyrins.
MotorIn medicine, having to do with the movement of body parts.
Motrin(MOH-trin) A drug used to treat fever, swelling, pain, and redness by preventing the body from making a substance that causes inflammation.