Glossary of Medical Terms

A drug used to treat certain types of bladder, ovarian, and testicular cancer. It is used in patients whose cancer cannot be treated with or has not gotten better with other anticancer treatment. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Cisplatin contains the metal platinum. It kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA and stopping them from dividing. Cisplatin is a type of DNA crosslinking agent. The brand name Platinol has been taken off the market and is no longer available.

A drug used to treat depression. It belongs to the families of drugs called antidepressant agents and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Also called Celexa.

A drug used in the treatment of metabolic acidosis (a disorder in which the blood is too acidic).

A drug used to lessen the toxic effects of the anticancer drug methotrexate or other substances that block the action of folic acid. It is also used to treat some types of anemia and is used with fluorouracil to treat advanced colorectal cancer. It is also being studied in the treatment of other conditions and types of cancer. Citrovorum factor is a form of folic acid. It is a type of chemoprotective agent and a type of chemosensitizing agent. Also called folinic acid and leucovorin calcium.

A substance being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. It is a monoclonal antibody that is made in the laboratory and can bind to substances in the body. Cixutumumab blocks the action of a protein needed for cell growth and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor. Also called IMC-A12.

A drug used to treat hairy cell leukemia. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Cladribine damages the cell’s DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of antimetabolite.

An antibiotic drug used in the treatment of infections. It belongs to the family of drugs called macrolides.

Skin cancer that is found only in the epidermis (outer layer of skin).

Skin cancer that has spread from the epidermis (outer layer of skin) down into the papillary dermis (the thin top layer of the dermis).

Skin cancer that has spread down through the papillary dermis (the thin top layer of the dermis) but not into the reticular dermis (the thick bottom layer of the dermis).