Glossary of Medical Terms

A chemical process in which oxygen is used to make energy from carbohydrates (sugars). Also called aerobic respiration, cell respiration, and oxidative metabolism.

A chemical process in which oxygen is used to make energy from carbohydrates (sugars). Also called aerobic metabolism, cell respiration, and oxidative metabolism.

The combined organs and tissues of the respiratory tract and the upper part of the digestive tract (including the lips, mouth, tongue, nose, throat, vocal cords, and part of the esophagus and windpipe).

In medicine, to turn a liquid drug into a fine mist that can be inhaled.

A type of surgery that is done to rebuild the shape of the chest wall after one or both breasts are removed. An aesthetic flat closure may also be done after removal of a breast implant that was used to restore breast shape. During an aesthetic flat closure, extra skin, fat, and other tissue in the breast area are removed. The remaining tissue is then tightened and smoothed out so that the chest wall appears flat.

A rare, inherited disorder in which multiple polyps (abnormal growths) form on the inner walls of the colon and rectum. People with AFAP usually develop fewer than 100 polyps. Benign (not cancer) tumors may also occur in the stomach, small intestine, bone, skin, and soft tissue. People with AFAP have a very high risk of developing colorectal cancer and may also be at risk of developing cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, and breast. AFAP is caused by mutations (changes) in the APC gene that are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. It is a type of hereditary cancer syndrome. Also called attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis.

A drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of the body. It is used in patients whose cancer has certain mutations (changes) in a gene called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It is also used to treat squamous cell NSCLC that has spread to other parts of the body and got worse after treatment with anticancer drugs that included platinum. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Afatinib dimaleate blocks certain proteins made by the mutated EGFR gene, which may help keep cancer cells from growing. It may also prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Afatinib dimaleate is a type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a type of antiangiogenesis agent. Also called Gilotrif.

In genetics, a term used to describe a person who has a certain genetic trait or who shows the signs and symptoms of a certain genetic disease.

In chemistry and biology, the strength of the attaction between two substances, such as two chemicals, or an antigen and an antibody.

In chemistry and biology, a compound that binds specific substances, such as proteins or nucleic acids. Many affinity reagents are antibodies. They are used to analyze tissue samples to help diagnose diseases.