Glossary of Medical Terms

A type of advance directive in which a person states that healthcare providers should not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (restarting the heart) if his or her heart or breathing stops. Also called DNR order.

A drug used to treat certain types of cancers of the breast, stomach, lung, prostate, and head and neck. It is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Docetaxel kills cancer cells by stopping them from dividing. It is a type of taxane. Also called Taxotere.

A chemotherapy combination used to treat certain types of head and neck cancer and stomach cancer. It includes the drugs docetaxel (Taxotere), cisplatin (Platinol), and fluorouracil. Also called DCF, Taxotere-Platinol-fluorouracil, TPF, and TPF regimen.

A plant that has been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems. It may have anticancer effects. The scientific name is Rumex acetosella. Also called sheep sorrel and sorrel.

A procedure that uses light waves to create 2-dimensional (2-D) or 3-dimensional (3-D) pictures of tissues inside the body. DOI may be used to look at blood flow to the tissues and to measure changes in the amount of oxygen in them. This may help show the difference between normal and abnormal tissue. DOI may be especially useful for looking at soft tissue, such as breast and brain tissue. It is being studied as an imaging test to help diagnose early-stage breast cancer and other conditions. Also called diffuse optical imaging.

A drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Dolasetron mesylate blocks the action of the chemical serotonin, which binds to certain nerves and may trigger nausea and vomiting. Blocking serotonin may help lessen nausea and vomiting. Dolasetron mesylate is a type of serotonin receptor antagonist and a type of antiemetic.

A substance being studied in the treatment of cancer. It binds to a protein that cells need to divide and it may kill cancer cells. Dolastatin 10 comes from a marine organism. It is a type of mitotic inhibitor.

A drug that is used to treat Alzheimer disease and is being studied in the treatment of side effects caused by radiation therapy to the brain. It is a type of cholinesterase inhibitor.

An herb native to China. A substance taken from the roots has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat menstrual and menopausal problems. Dong quai may increase the effect of the drug warfarin (a blood-thinner). The scientific name is Angelica sinensis.

In medicine, a person who gives blood, cells, tissue, or an organ for use in another person, such as in a blood transfusion or an organ transplant.