ampullary cancer
Cancer that forms in the ampulla of Vater (an enlargement of the ducts from the liver and pancreas where they join and enter the small intestine). Symptoms include jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Also called ampulla of Vater cancer.
amputation
The removal by surgery of a limb (arm or leg) or other body part because of injury or disease, such as diabetes or cancer.
amrubicin
A substance being studied in the treatment of lung cancer. It is a type of anthracycline analog.
amsacrine
An anticancer drug that belongs to the family of drugs called topoisomerase inhibitors.
amuvatinib
A substance being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. It may block certain proteins involved in cancer cell growth and DNA repair. Blocking these proteins may make cancer cells more sensitive to anticancer drugs and radiation therapy. Amuvatinib is a type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Also called MP470.
amygdalin
A substance found in the pits of some fruits, such as apricots, and in raw nuts and plants. Amygdalin has been used in some countries as a treatment for cancer, but it has not been shown to work in human clinical trials. It is not approved for use in the United States. Amygdalin is sometimes called vitamin B17.
amyloidosis
A group of diseases in which protein builds up in certain organs (localized amyloidosis) or throughout the body (systemic amyloidosis). Amyloidosis may be either primary (with no known cause), secondary (caused by another disease, including some types of cancer, such as multiple myeloma), or hereditary (passed down from parents to children). Many organs are affected by amyloidosis. The organs affected may depend on whether the amyloidosis is the primary, secondary, or hereditary form.
anabolic steroid
A type of steroid that is used in medicine to repair body tissues and to increase appetite and the growth of muscles. Anabolic steroids are made in the laboratory from testosterone (a male hormone).
anagrelide
A drug that is used to decrease the number of platelets in the blood in order to prevent blood clotting.
