Glossary of Medical Terms

A hormone made in the pituitary gland. Corticotropin acts on the outer part of the adrenal gland to control its release of corticosteroid hormones. More corticotropin is made during times of stress. Also called ACTH and adrenocorticotropic hormone.

A hormone made by the adrenal cortex (the outer layer of the adrenal gland). It helps the body use glucose (a sugar), protein, and fats. Cortisol made in the laboratory is called hydrocortisone. It is used to treat many conditions, including inflammation, allergies, and some cancers. Cortisol is a type of glucocorticoid hormone.

A natural steroid hormone produced in the adrenal gland. It can also be made in the laboratory. Cortisone reduces swelling and can suppress immune responses.

A bacterium that can cause skin disorders. Substances taken from this bacterium can stimulate the immune system and may help kill cancer cells.

A drug used to treat Ewing sarcoma, gestational trophoblastic tumor, Wilms tumor, and certain types of testicular cancer. It is also used to treat rhabdomyosarcoma in children. It is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Cosmegen comes from the bacterium Streptomyces parvulus. It damages the cell’s DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of anticancer antibiotic. Also called actinomycin D and dactinomycin.

A term used to describe the practice of dividing the cost of healthcare services between the patient and the insurance plan. For example, if a plan pays 80% of the cost of a service, then the patient pays the remaining 20% of the cost. The most common form of cost sharing is for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Cost sharing usually does not include the payment of monthly health insurance premiums or the cost of non-covered healthcare services.

A rare, genetic disorder marked by developmental problems, being shorter than normal, mental retardation, heart problems, unusual facial features, and extra folds of skin around the neck, hands, and feet. People with Costello syndrome have an increased risk of certain types of cancer, such as rhabdomyosarcoma (a soft tissue tumor) and neuroblastoma (cancer of immature nerve cells).

A drug used with vemurafenib to treat melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body. It is used in patients whose cancer has a mutated (changed) form of a gene called BRAF. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Cotellic blocks certain proteins made by the mutated BRAF gene, which may help keep cancer cells from growing and may kill them. It is a type of kinase inhibitor and a type of targeted therapy. Also called cobimetinib fumarate.

A chemical substance formed by the breakdown of nicotine in the body. Nicotine is an addictive, harmful chemical found in tobacco and tobacco products, including cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Exposure to nicotine can be measured by checking the amount of cotinine in the blood, urine, or saliva in smokers and in nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. Cotinine stays in the body longer than nicotine and is used to help monitor tobacco use and the use of nicotine replacement therapy in people trying to stop smoking.

A substance being studied in the treatment of several types of cancer. It comes from the seed of the cotton plant (Gossypium). It blocks the growth of cells and may kill cancer cells. Cottonseed meal toxin may also act as a male contraceptive (a type of birth control).