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- IleostomyAn ileostomy is an opening of the small bowel onto the surface of the abdomen. You wear a bag over the opening, to collect the waste matter from digestion that would normally be passed from the body as a bowel motion (stool).
- Imatinib (Gleevec)An inhibitor of the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase. It is used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumour.
- Immature cellsCells that are not fully developed. Cancer cells are immature cells. Cancers made up of cells that are very immature compared to normal cells are thought to grow more quickly than cancers made up of cells that are less immature.
- Immediate reconstructionBreast reconstruction carried out at the same time as the operation to remove the breast.
- ImmortalLiving forever. Normal cells grow and divide a fixed number of times and then die. Cancer cells can carry on reproducing forever and so are immortal.
- Immune systemSystem in the body that fights infection and causes allergic reactions. Includes the lymph glands, spleen and white blood cells.
- Immunoblastic large cellA type of high grade lymphoma. It is diagnosed by the appearance of the cells under the microscope.
- ImmunosuppressantMedicine that damps down (suppresses) the activity of your body's immune system.
- ImmunotherapyTreatment that stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapies are a type of treatment called biological therapy. Interferon and interleukin 2 are immunotherapies
- Implant (implants)Something put into the body. May be to replace a part of the body that has been removed (for example, a breast implant) or to give treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
- Inadequate smearA smear test that did not collect enough of the right cells - so cannot be used. You will be asked to have a repeat smear.
- Incontinence (faecal incontinence, urinary incontinence)Not being able to control passing urine (urinary incontinence) or passing a bowel motion (faecal incontinence).
- Indemnity insuranceInsurance against damage claims.
- Independent scientific review (scientific review)In research, a trial plan being checked by a group of qualified people who are nothing to do with the trial.
- Induction chemotherapyThese are the first cycles of chemotherapy. The aim of induction therapy is to reduce the size of the tumour to help make it easier for other anti-cancer therapies such as surgery or radiation therapy work more effectively. In haematological malignancies induction therapy is aimed at getting(...)
- Influenza (flu)Infectious disease. You can have a vaccination against flu if you are having chemotherapy.
- Informed consentAgreeing to take part in a clinical trial, or have a particular treatment, with a full understanding of the benefits and drawbacks.
- InheritedGained from your parents. Inherited information is passed on from parents to their children in genes. The genetic information may cause a high risk of some illnesses or cancer, or may cause a particular characteristic such as eye colour.
- InsulinomaA rare type of tumour of the pancreas. Insulinomas make abnormal amounts of insulin and release it into the blood.
- Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)A type of radiotherapy. IMRT alters the radiotherapy dose depending on the thickness of body tissue. This means that all parts of the cancer receive the same dose of radiation. Healthy tissues close to the tumour can receive a low dose.
- Intensive care unit (ICU)A ward where patients are very closely monitored.
- Interferon (Roferon-A, Intron A)Helps the immune response against cancer cells. It is used in the treatment of melanoma and renal cell cancer and also to treat chronic hepatitis B and C.
- Intermediate gradeA group of types of lymphomas. There are three grades of lymphomas: high, intermediate and low. Grade is used to decide on treatment. In practice, doctors tend to group intermediate grade and high grade lymphomas together.
- Internal radiotherapyRadiotherapy given by putting a source of radiation inside the body. It is sometimes called 'brachytherapy'. The source can be solid (for example, radioactive grains put into the prostate), or liquid (for example, a radioactive iodine drink or injection given to treat thyroid cancer).
- Interval cancerA cancer that develops between the tests you have as part of a screening programme (for example, in the 3 years between mammograms). Screening programmes are set up so that the tests are close enough together to reduce the risk of an interval cancer as much as possible.
- Intramuscular injection (IM injection, intramuscularly)Injection into a muscle.
- Intraperitoneal injectionAn injection directly into the abdominal area. Some chemotherapy is given in this way to treat cancers that may spread to other organs in the abdomen.
- Intrathecal injection (IT injection, intrathecally)An injection into the fluid around the spinal cord. Some chemotherapy needs to be given this way for particular types of cancer that may spread to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
- Intratumoural treatmentInjecting treatment directly into a tumour. Types of treatment that may be given in this way include chemotherapy, biological therapies and cancer vaccines. (May also be spelt intratumoral treatment.)
- Intravenous infusion (drip)Giving fluid into the bloodstream. A bag of fluid is connected to plastic tubing and a needle. The needle is put into a vein, usually in the arm.
- Intravenous urogram (IVU, IVP, intravenous pyelogram)A scan of the kidneys, ureters (the tubes running from the kidneys to the bladder), bladder and urethra (the tube running from the bladder to the outside of the body). A dye is given into a vein by injection. The dye collects in the urinary system and can be looked at using an X-ray.
- Intravesical therapyTreatment given directly into the bladder. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy can both be given in this way to try to stop early bladder cancer from coming back.
- Iridium (iridium wires)Thin radioactive wires used to give internal radiotherapy. The wires are put into the tumour under anaesthetic. Sometimes, hollow, thin tubes are put into the tumour and then tiny radioactive balls are fed into the hollow tubes from a machine.
- Irinotecan (Camptosar)A chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
- IrisThe coloured disc at the front of the eyeball. It can develop a malignant melanoma in very rare cases.
- Islet cellThe cells of the pancreas that produce insulin and other hormones. Tumours of these cells (called endocrine pancreatic tumours) can make the cells produce large amounts of the hormones.
- IsolationKept apart from other people. People having high dose chemotherapy, bone marrow or stem cell transplant are often looked after in single rooms while their white blood cell counts are low. This is to protect them from infection. People having some types of internal radiotherapy may need to be(...)
- IsotopeA variation of a normal chemical substance, which is radioactive. Can be used to diagnose or treat cancer. For example, Sr89 is an isotope of strontium used to treat bone cancer.
- JaundiceYellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. There are several different causes, but usually means there is something wrong with the liver or gall bladder.
- Kaposi's sarcomaA cancer of the cells that line the walls of the blood vessels (endothelial cells). Widespread lesions develop on the skin, in the mouth, lymph nodes and internal organs such as the lung, liver and spleen. It is commonly, but not always, found in people who are HIV (Human Immunodeficiency(...)
- KeratinocytesType of flat skin cells that cover the outer layer of the skin. Also called squamous cells. Many cancers are squamous cell cancer.
- Kidney function (kidney function tests)Blood tests to see how well the kidneys are working.
- Kidney (kidneys)There are two kidneys, right and left. They filter waste products out of the blood and make urine. The kidneys are very sensitive to blood flow and to some drugs. Doctors often take blood tests to check how well the kidneys are working.
- KRAS gene mutationKRAS gene mutations are found at high rates in colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and leukaemias. Studies show that colorectal tumours that express the KRAS gene mutation do not respond to the epidermal growth factor inhibiting drugs cetuximab (Erbitux) or panitumumab (Vectibix).
- Laboratory studyResearch done in a laboratory. These studies may use test tubes or tests on animals to find out if a drug, procedure, or treatment is likely to be useful. Laboratory studies take place before any testing is done in humans.
- LaparoscopeA thin, bendy fibreoptic tube with a light on the end, used to look at abdominal organs, take tissue samples (biopsy) and carry out small abdominal operations (known as keyhole surgery).
- Laparoscopic ultrasoundA small operation where a flexible tube filled with optical fibres (a laparoscope) is put inside the abdomen (tummy) through a small cut. The doctor looks through the laparoscope to see inside the body and take tissue samples (biopsies). Your doctor may pass a very small ultrasound probe(...)
- LaparoscopyA small operation where a flexible tube filled with optical fibres (a laparoscope) is put inside the abdomen (tummy) through a small cut. The doctor can look through the laparoscope, see inside the body and take tissue samples (biopsies).
- LaparotomyAn operation to look inside the abdomen (tummy). Can be done as part of diagnosis or after chemotherapy treatment to see how well it has worked.
- Large bowel resectionAn operation to remove part of the bowel. The remaining healthy parts of the bowel are usually then joined together again.