sunscreenA substance that helps protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays. Sunscreens reflect, absorb, and scatter both ultraviolet A and B radiation to provide…
SuperficialAffecting cells on the surface. Not invasive.
superfractionated radiation therapy(SOO-per FRAK-shuh-NAYT-ed RAY-dee-AY-shun THAYR-uh-pee) Radiation therapy that gives smaller doses (fractions) of radiation more often than standard…
superior vena cavaThe large vein that carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest to the heart.
superior vena cava syndromeA condition in which a tumor presses against the superior vena cava (the large vein that carries blood from the head, neck, arms, and chest to the heart).
SupplementA supplement is an application to allow a company to make changes in a product that already has an approved new drug application (NDA).
Supplement NumberA supplement number is associated with an existing FDA New Drug Application (NDA) number.
Supplement TypeCompanies are allowed to make changes to drugs or their labels after they have been approved.
supplemental nutrition(SUH-pleh-MEN-tul noo-TRIH-shun) A substance or product that is added to a person's diet to make sure they get all the nutrients they need.
supplemental oxygen therapy(SUH-pleh-MEN-tul OK-sih-jen THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment in which a storage tank of oxygen or a machine called a compressor is used to give oxygen to people…
support groupA group of people with similar disease who meet to discuss how better to cope with their disease and treatment.
Support ServicesGrantee expenditures are limited to core medical services, support services, and administrative expenses.
supportive careCare given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease.
suppository(suh-POZ-ih-TOR-ee) A form of medicine contained in a small piece of solid material, such as cocoa butter or glycerin, that melts at body temperature.
Suppressive treatmentTreatment intended to prevent clinical symptoms and parasitemia through destruction of parasites in red blood cells.
supraclavicular lymph node(SOO-pruh-kla-VIH-kyuh-ler...) A lymph node located above the clavicle (collarbone).
supraglottic laryngectomy(SOO-prah-GLOT-ik LA-rin-JEK-toh-mee) An operation to remove the supraglottis, which is part of the larynx (voice box) above the vocal cords.
supraglottis(SOO-pra-GLOT-is) The upper part of the larynx (voice box), including the epiglottis; the area above the vocal cords.
suprarenal gland(SOO-pruh-REE-nul...) A small gland that makes steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
supratentorial(soo-pruh-ten-TOR-ee-ul) Having to do with the upper part of the brain.
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.
T cellOne type of white blood cell that attacks virus-infected cells, foreign cells, and cancer cells.
T lymphocyteOne type of white blood cell that attacks virus-infected cells, foreign cells, and cancer cells.
t testA statistical test that is used to find out if there is a real difference between the means (averages) of two different groups.
T-3A thyroid hormone. Also called triiodothyronine.
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(...LIM-foh-BLAS-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh) A type of leukemia (blood cancer) in which too many T-cell lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) are found in the…
T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia(...LIM-foh-SIH-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh) A type of leukemia (blood cancer) in which too many T-cell lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) are found in the…
T-cell depletion(... sel dih-PLEE-shun) Treatment to destroy T cells, which play an important role in the immune response.
T-cell lymphoma(... sel lim-FOH-muh) A disease in which certain cells of the lymph system (called T lymphocytes) become cancerous.
T-lymphoblastic lymphoma(LIM-foh-BLAS-tik lim-FOH-muh) A type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in which too many T-cell lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) are found in the lymph…
T138067An anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called mitotic inhibitors. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells by preventing cell division.
T4A hormone that is made by the thyroid gland and contains iodine. T4 increases the rate of chemical reactions in cells and helps control growth and…
T4N5 liposomal lotion(... LY-poh-SOH-mul LOH-shun) A lotion being studied in the treatment of skin cancer and a skin condition called xeroderma pigmentosum.
T900607A substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called tubulin-binding agents.
TAC-101A substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the families of drugs called synthetic retinoids and angiogenesis inhibitors.
TachycardiaRapid beating of the heart, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.
tacrolimusA drug used to help reduce the risk of rejection by the body of organ and bone marrow transplants.
TAG-72 antigenA protein/sugar complex found on the surface of many cancer cells, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cells.
tai chi (ty chee)A form of traditional Chinese mind/body exercise and meditation that uses slow sets of body movements and controlled breathing.
tailboneThe small bone at the bottom of the spine. It is made up of 3-5 fused bones. Also called coccyx.
tailored intervention(TAY-lurd IN-ter-VEN-shun) The use of communication, drugs, or other types of treatments that are specific for an individual or a group to improve health…
talabostat(tal-AB-oh-stat) A substance being studied in the treatment of cancer, including certain types of lung, pancreas, and brain cancer.