suramin(SOO-rah-min) A drug that is used to treat infections caused by parasites. It is also being studied in the treatment of cancer.
surface electrode(SER-fuss ee-LEK-trode) A small device that is attached to the skin to measure or cause electrical activity in the tissue under it.
SurgeonA doctor who removes or repairs a part of the body by operating on the patient.
SurgeryA procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present; an operation.
surgical biopsy(SER-jih-kul BY-op-see) The removal of tissues by a surgeon for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope.
surgical castrationSurgical removal of the testicles (orchiectomy) or ovaries (oophorectomy) to stop the production of sex hormones.
Surveillance(ser-VAY-lents) In medicine, the ongoing collection of information about a disease, such as cancer, in a certain group of people.
Surveillance Data (Cancer)Data is used to monitor changes in cancer in a population. Included are measures of cancer incidence, morbidity, survival, prevalence and mortality.
Surveillance ReportA report providing information on the number of reported cases of a disease such as AIDS, nationally and for specific sub-populations.
SurvivalSurvival examines how long after diagnosis people live. Cancer survival is measured in a number of different ways depending on the intended purpose.
survival rate(ser-VY-vul ...) The percentage of people in a study or treatment group who are alive for a certain period of time after they were diagnosed with or…
Survival, Cause-specificA measure of net survival that is calculated by using the cause of death listed on death certificates to estimate the proportion of deaths due to cancer.
Survival, NetSurvival from cancer that is calculated in the absence of other causes of death.
Survival, ObservedAn estimate of the probability of surviving all causes of death for a specified time interval calculated from the cohort of cancer cases.
Survival, PeriodA newer method for calculating survival that uses only information from the most recent calendar years available.
Survival, Progression-FreeThe length of time during and after treatment in which a patient is living with a disease that does not get worse.
Survival, RelativeA measure of net survival that is calculated by comparing observed (overall) survival with expected survival from a comparable set of people that do not…
survivor(ser-VY-ver) One who remains alive and continues to function after overcoming difficulties or life-threatening diseases like cancer.
Survivorship(ser-VY-ver-ship) In cancer, survivorship covers the physical, psychosocial, and economic issues of cancer, from diagnosis until the end of life.
Sutent(SOO-tent) A drug used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) that have not responded to treatment with imatinib mesylate (Gleevec).
SV40Simian virus 40. A virus that infects some types of monkeys. It may also infect humans, and was found in some polio vaccines tested in the early 1960s.
sweet elmThe inner bark of this plant has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems. It may have antioxidant effects.
SWSA rare, congenital disorder that affects the brain, skin, and eyes. Abnormal blood vessel growth occurs in the trigeminal nerve in the face and the…
sympathetic nervous system(SIM-puh-THEH-tik NER-vus SISS-tum) The part of the nervous system that increases heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and pupil size.
SymptomA sign or indication that a person has a condition or disease. Some examples of symptoms are headache, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and pain.
symptom managementCare given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease.
symptomaticHaving to do with symptoms, which are signs of a condition or disease.
SyncopeA brief loss of consciousness from a transient deficiency in the oxygen carrying material of the blood to the brain.
syncytiumA large cell-like structure formed by the joining together of two or more cells. The plural is syncytia.
syndrome(SIN-drome) A set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the…
synergistic(SIH-ner-JIS-tik) In medicine, describes the interaction of two or more drugs when their combined effect is greater than the sum of the effects seen when…
Syngeneic(SIN-juh-NAY-ik) Having to do with individuals or tissues that have identical genes.
syngeneic bone marrow transplantation(SIN-jeh-NAY-ik bone MAYR-oh tranz-plan-TAY-shun) A procedure in which a person receives bone marrow donated by his or her healthy identical twin.
syngeneic stem cell transplantation(SIN-jeh-NAY-ik stem sel tranz-plan-TAY-shun) A procedure in which a patient receives blood-forming stem cells (cells from which all blood cells develop)…
synovial membraneA layer of connective tissue that lines the cavities of joints, tendon sheaths, and bursae (fluid-filled sacs between tendons and bones).
synovial sarcomaA malignant tumor that develops in the synovial membrane of the joints.
synovitis(SIH-noh-VY-tis) Inflammation (swelling, pain, and warmth) of a synovial membrane, which is a layer of connective tissue that lines a joint, such as the…
synthetic(sin-THEH-tik) Having to do with substances that are man-made instead of taken from nature.
synthetic protegrin analog(sin-THEH-tik proh-TEH-grin A-nuh-log) A form of a protegrin that is made in the laboratory.
synthetic retinoid(sin-THET-ik RET-in-oyd) A substance related to vitamin A that is produced in a laboratory.
syringeA small hollow tube used for injecting or withdrawing liquids. It may be attached to a needle in order to withdraw fluid from the body or inject drugs…
systemic chemotherapy(sis-TEH-mik KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment with anticancer drugs that travel through the blood to cells all over the body.
systemic disease(sis-TEH-mik dih-ZEEZ) Disease that affects the whole body.
systemic inflammatory response syndrome(sis-TEH-mik in-FLA-muh-TOR-ee reh-SPONTS SIN-drome) A serious condition in which there is inflammation throughout the whole body.
systemic lupus erythematosus(sis-TEH-mik LOO-pus ER-ih-THEE-muh-TOH-sus) A chronic, inflammatory, connective tissue disease that can affect the joints and many organs, including the…
systemic mastocytosis(sis-TEH-mik MAS-toh-sy-TOH-sis) A rare disease in which too many mast cells (a type of immune system cell) are found in the skin, bones, joints, lymph…
systemic radiation therapy(sis-TEH-mik RAY-dee-AY-shun THAYR-uh-pee) A type of radiation therapy in which a radioactive substance, such radioactive idoine or a radioactively…
systemic scleroderma(sis-TEH-mik SKLEH-roh-DER-muh) A disease that is marked by hardening and thickening of skin, connective tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs…
systemic sclerosis(sis-TEH-mik skleh-ROH-sis) A disease that is marked by hardening and thickening of skin, connective tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs, and…
Systemic Therapy(sis-TEH-mik THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment using substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cells all over the body.