Glossary of Medical Terms

A drug used to treat high blood pressure that is also being studied in the prevention of side effects caused by radiation therapy used in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called ACE inhibitors.

A special receptor created in the laboratory that is designed to bind to certain proteins on cancer cells. The CAR is then added to immune cells called T cells. This helps the T cells find and kill cancer cells that have the specific protein that the receptor is designed to bind. These changed T cells called CAR T cells are then grown in large numbers in the laboratory and given to cancer patients. CAR T cells are being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. Also called chimeric antigen receptor.

A type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T cells are taken from a patient’s blood. Then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient’s cancer cells is added to the T cells in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion. CAR T-cell therapy is used to treat certain blood cancers, and it is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Also called chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.

A drug used as a cream to treat actinic keratosis (a skin condition that may become cancer). Carac stops cells from making DNA and may kill cancer cells. It contains the active ingredient fluorouracil. Carac is a type of antimetabolite.

A substance formed by the breakdown of protein in the liver. The kidneys filter carbamide out of the blood and into the urine. Carbamide can also be made in the laboratory. A topical form of carbamide is being studied in the treatment of hand-foot syndrome (pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or redness of the hands or feet that may occur as a side effect of certain anticancer drugs). Also called urea.

An anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called antifungal agents.

A chemotherapy combination used to treat endometrial, ovarian, and head and neck cancers, and non-small cell lung cancer that has spread. It includes the drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel (Taxol). Also called carboplatin-Taxol, carboplatin-Taxol regimen, and PC regimen.

An inhaled form of oxygen and carbon dioxide that has more oxygen than air has. It is being studied in the treatment of cancer and other conditions. It may increase the amount of oxygen in cancer cells, which may make them easier to kill with radiation therapy. Carbogen is a type of radiosensitizing agent.

A sugar molecule. Carbohydrates can be small and simple (for example, glucose) or they can be large and complex (for example, polysaccharides such as starch, chitin or cellulose).

A very poisonous chemical substance made from tar and also found in some plants and essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants). Carbolic acid is used to make plastics, nylon, epoxy, medicines, and to kill germs. Also called phenol.