|
Ileostomy
(il-ee-OS-to-mee): An opening created by a surgeon into
the ileum, part of the small intestine, from the outside
of the body. An ileostomy provides a new path for waste
material to leave the body after part of the intestine
has been removed.
Imaging: Tests that produce pictures of areas
inside the body.
Immune system (im-YOON): The complex group of
organs and cells that defends the body against infection
or disease.
Immunodeficiency: A lowering of the body's ability
to fight off infection and disease.
Immunology: A science that deals with the study
of the body's immune system.
Immunosuppression: The use of drugs or techniques
to suppress or interfere with the body's immune system
and its ability to fight infections or disease. Immunosuppression
may be deliberate, such as in preparation for bone marrow
or other organ transplantation to prevent rejection
by the host of the donor tissue, or incidental, such
as often results from chemotherapy for the treatment
of cancer.
Immunotherapy (IM-yoo-no-THER-a-pee): Treatment
that uses the body's natural defenses to fight cancer.
Also called biological therapy.
Implant (or internal) radiation: Internal radiation
therapy that places radioactive materials in or close
to the cancer.
Impotent (IM-po-tent): Inability to have an erection
and/or ejaculate semen.
Incidence: The number of new cases of a disease
diagnosed each year.
Incision (in-SI-zhun): A cut made in the body
during surgery.
Incontinence (in-kON-ti-nens): Inability to control
the flow of urine from the bladder.
Infertility: The inability to produce children.
Infiltrating cancer: See invasive cancer.
Inflammatory breast cancer: A rare type of breast
cancer in which cancer cells block the lymph vessels
in the skin of the breast. The breast becomes red, swollen,
and warm, and the skin of the breast may appear pitted
or have ridges.
Inguinal orchiectomy (IN-gwin-al or-kee-EK-to-mee):
Surgery to remove the testicle through the groin.
Insulin (IN-su-lin): A hormone made by the islet
cells of the pancreas. Insulin controls the amount of
sugar in the blood.
Interferon (in-ter-FEER-on): A type of biological
response modifier (a substance that can improve the
body's natural response to disease). It stimulates the
growth of certain disease-fighting blood cells in the
immune system.
Interleukin (in-ter-LOO-kin): A substance used
in biological therapy. Interleukins stimulate the growth
and activities of certain kinds of white blood cells.
Interleukin-2 (in-ter-LOO-kin): A type of biological
response modifier (a substance that can improve the
body's natural response to disease). It stimulates the
growth of certain blood cells in the immune system that
can fight cancer. Also called IL-2.
Internal radiation (ray-dee-AY-shun): Radiation
therapy that uses radioactive materials placed in or
near the tumor.
Intestine (in-TES-tin): The long, tube-shaped
organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion.
It consists of the small and large intestines.
Intraepithelial (in-tra-eh-pih-THEEL-ee-ul):
Within the layer of cells that forms the surface or
lining of an organ.
Intrahepatic (in-tra-hep-AT-ik): Within the liver.
Intrahepatic bile duct (in-tra-hep-AT-ik): The
bile duct that passes through and drains bile from the
liver.
Intraoperative radiation therapy: Radiation treatment
given during surgery. Also called IORT.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IN-tra-per-i-to-NEE-al):
Treatment in which anticancer drugs are put directly
into the abdomen through a thin tube.
Intrathecal chemotherapy (in-tra-THEE-cal KEE-mo-THER-a-pee):
Chemotherapy drugs infused into the thin space between
the lining of the spinal cord and brain to treat or
prevent cancers in the brain and spinal cord.
Intravenous (in-tra-VEE-nus): Injected in a vein.
Also called IV.
Intravenous pyelogram (in-tra-VEE-nus PIE-el-o-gram):
A series of x-rays of the kidneys and bladder. The x-rays
are taken after a dye that shows up on x-ray film in
injected into a vein. Also called IVP.
Intravenous pyelography (om-tra-VEE-nus py-LOG-ra-fee):
X-ray study of the kidneys and urinary tract. Structures
are made visible by the injection of a substance that
blocks x-rays. Also called IVP.
Intravesical (in-tra-VES-ih-kal): Within the
bladder.
Invasion: As related to cancer, the spread of
cancer cells into healthy tissue adjacent to the tumor.
Invasive cancer: Cancer that has spread beyond
the layer of tissue in which it developed. Invasive
breast cancer is also called infiltrating cancer or
infiltrating carcinoma.
Invasive cervical cancer: Cancer that has spread
from the surface of the cervix to tissue deeper in the
cervix or to other parts of the body.
IORT (intraoperative radiation therapy): Radiation
treatment given during surgery.
Islet cell cancer (EYE-let): Cancer arising from
cells in the islets of Langerhans.
Islets of Langerhans (EYE-lets of LANG-er-hanz):
Hormone-producing cells in the pancreas.
IV (intravenous) (in-tra-VEE-nus): Injected in
a vein.
IVP (intravenous pyelogram) (in-tra-VEE-nus PYE-el-o-gram):
X-ray study of the kidneys, uterus, and urinary tract.
Structures are made visible by the injection of a substance
that blocks x-rays. |
