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A
abdomen - area between the chest and the
hips that contains the stomach, large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas,
and spleen.
advanced Cancer - stage of cancer in which the disease
has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body; when the
cancer has spread only to the surrounding areas, it is called locally
advanced; when it has spread further by traveling through the bloodstream,
it
alternative Medicine - any form of therapy used alone,
without recommended standard/conventional treatment.
amenorrhea - absence or cessation of menstrual periods.
American Cancer Society - an organization that supports
research, educational materials, and programs, and offers many other services
to cancer patients and their families.
antacids - medicines that balance acids and gas in the
stomach.
antibiotic - chemical substances, produced by living
organisms or synthesized (created) in laboratories, for the purpose of
killing other organisms that cause disease.
anticoagulant (Also called blood thinner.) - a medication
that keeps blood from clotting.
antidiarrheals - medicines that help control diarrhea.
antihistamine drugs - a group of drugs that block the
effects of histamine, a chemical released in body fluids during an allergic
reaction.
Antihypertensive - a medication, or other therapy, that
lowers blood pressure.
Anti-inflammatory drugs - inflammatory drugsdrugs that
reduce the signs and symptoms of inflammation.
aorta - blood vessel that delivers oxygen-rich blood
from the left ventricle to the body; it is the largest blood vessel in
the body.
aortic valve - the valve that regulates blood flow from
the heart into the aorta.
areola - dark area of skin that surrounds the nipple
of the breast.
arterioles - small branches of arteries.
artery - a blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood
away from the heart to the body.
artificial ventilation - the process of supporting breathing
by manual or mechanical means when normal breathing is inefficient or
has stopped.
ascending colon - part of the colon on the right side
of the abdomen.
atherosclerosis - a type of arteriosclerosis caused by
a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery.
atrium (pl. atrial) - one of two upper chambers in the
heart.
atrophy - a continuous decline of a body part or tissue,
usually a muscle, following a period of disuse or immobility.
atypical - not usual; abnormal; often refers to the appearance
of pre-cancerous or cancerous cells. (See also hyperplasia.)
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