Glossary of Medical Terms

A condition in which a sense, especially touch, is distorted. Dysesthesia can cause an ordinary stimulus to be unpleasant or painful. It can also cause insensitivity to a stimulus.

A state of not functioning normally.

A type of cancer that begins in germ cells in females. Germ cells are cells that form sperm in males or eggs in females. Dysgerminomas occur most often in the ovaries, but they may also occur in other areas of the body, including the central nervous system. Some dysgerminomas make a hormone called beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) that may cause signs and symptoms of disease. Dysgerminomas tend to grow and spread slowly. They are the most common type of ovarian germ cell tumor. They usually occur in teenage girls or young women.

A bad taste in the mouth. Also called parageusia.

A rare, inherited disorder that can affect many parts of the body, especially the nails, skin, and mouth. It is marked by abnormally shaped fingernails and toenails that may grow poorly; changes in skin color, especially on the neck and chest; and white patches inside the mouth. Other problems may include hair loss or early graying of the hair, eye and dental problems, osteoporosis, joint problems, liver disease, and a narrowing of the urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) in men. People with dyskeratosis congenita may develop serious conditions, such as bone marrow failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis, and certain types of cancer, especially leukemia and cancers of the head and neck, mouth, anus, and genitals. Dyskeratosis congenita may be caused by mutations (changes) in certain genes that affect the length of telomeres (the ends of chromosomes). Also called DKC.

Upset stomach.

Difficulty swallowing.

Trouble with the voice when trying to talk, including hoarseness and change in pitch or quality or voice.

A term used to describe the presence of abnormal cells within a tissue or organ. Dysplasia is not cancer, but it may sometimes become cancer. Dysplasia can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on how abnormal the cells look under a microscope and how much of the tissue or organ is affected.

A specific type of nevus (mole) that looks different from a common mole. Dysplastic nevi are mostly flat and often larger than common moles and have borders that are irregular. A dysplastic nevus can contain different colors, which can range from pink to dark brown. Parts of the mole may be raised above the skin surface. A dysplastic nevus may develop into melanoma (a type of skin cancer), and the more dysplastic nevi a person has, the higher the risk of melanoma. A dysplastic nevus is sometimes called an atypical mole.