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- Bone marrow sample (bone marrow biopsy, bone marrow test, sample of bone marrow)Taking a small amount of bone marrow to see if it is healthy. It can show if the bone marrow contains cancer cells. A local anaesthetic is put into the skin over the hip bone. A needle is put into the hip and a small amount of bone marrow sucked out. This is examined under a microscope. The(...)
- Bone marrow transplant (BMT, bone marrow transplants)Treatment for cancer and some other illnesses. Very high doses of chemotherapy (and sometimes radiotherapy) are given to kill the cancer cells. This also kills the bone marrow, so a drip (transfusion) containing bone marrow needs to be given afterwards. This can be the patient's own marrow(...)
- Bone metastases (bone secondaries)Cancer that has spread to the bones from a cancer somewhere else in the body.
- Bone scanScan which looks for damage to bone. A small dose of a radioactive substance is injected into the bloodstream, gets into the bones and is then photographed with a gamma camera. Damaged bone shows up as a 'hot spot' on the scan.
- Booster doseAn extra dose. This term is often used to mean an extra dose of radiotherapy given to a part of the radiotherapy field at the end of a course of treatment.
- BorderlineIn cancer, means a tumour that has cells that are only just malignant. The cells look more like normal cells than in a more malignant cancer. Borderline tumours are less likely to grow quickly or spread to other parts of the body.
- Bortezomib (Velcade)Bortezomib causes cancer cells to undergo cell death by interfering with cell proteins. It is used to treat multiple myeloma.
- Bowel cancerCancer of the colon or rectum. Also called colorectal cancer.
- Bowel habitsHow often you normally open your bowels (go to the toilet).
- Bowel motionThe solid waste left over from digested food and passed out of the body through the back passage.
- Bowel obstruction (blocked bowel)Blockage in the bowel so stools cannot pass through. The bowel may be completely or partly blocked.
- Bowel preparationPreparing the bowel for tests or surgery. May mean an enema or suppositories or several days of laxatives followed by a washout of the bowel, depending on the test or operation that is to be done.
- Bowel soundsThe normal noises your bowel makes. After any abdominal surgery your doctor will listen for bowel sounds. When they return, this means your bowel has begun to work normally again and you can start eating and drinking.
- Bowel washoutCleaning out the inside of the bowel. A tube is put into the bowel through the anus. Clean or sterile water is flushed through the tube and allowed to drain out again. This is repeated until the water is clean. It is usually done before major surgery to the bowel to lower the risk of(...)
- Bowen’s diseaseA very early form of non melanoma skin cancer. It is sometimes called carcinoma in situ.
- BrachytherapyThe medical word for internal radiotherapy. This is radiotherapy given by putting a source of radiation inside the body. For example, radioactive seeds put into the prostate or a radioactive iodine drink for thyroid cancer. Radioactive seeds or needles may also be called interstitial radiotherapy.
- Brain tumour (brain tumours)Benign tumour or malignant tumour (cancer) of part of the brain. There are many different types of brain tumour and they are named depending on which type of brain cells are affected.
- BRCA1 (breast cancer gene, cancer gene, ovarian cancer gene)Gene that increases the risk of getting breast, ovarian, bowel or prostate cancer. Out of every 100 women who have a faulty version of this gene, between 80 and 85 will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. So they have a lifetime risk of 80–85%. Ovarian cancer lifetime risk is(...)
- BRCA2 (breast cancer gene, cancer gene)Gene that increases the risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer in women and breast and prostate cancer in men. Out of every 100 women who have a faulty version of this gene, between 80 and 85 will develop breast cancer at some point in their life (80–85% lifetime risk). Ovarian cancer(...)
- Breast cancerCancer of the breast, usually in women, but does occur rarely in men.
- Breast enhancer (breast enhancers)Partial artificial breast used by women who have had an operation to remove part of the breast (called a segmentectomy).
- Breast examinationMedical examination of the breasts to look for anything wrong, including lumps. The examination can be done by a doctor or breast care nurse.
- Breast implant (breast implants)An artificial breast shape put under the skin or muscle during an operation. Used to replace a breast that has had to be removed for medical reasons. Can also be used for cosmetic reasons to make the breast look bigger.
- Breast lump (breast lumps)Lump in the breast that may or may not be cancerous. Nine out of ten breast lumps are not cancer.
- Breast–ovarian cancer (BOC)This term refers to families in which individuals have suffered from breast cancer and ovarian cancer (either one individual suffered from both, or several individuals in the pedigree suffered from one or the other disease).
- Breast prostheses (breast prosthesis)Artificial breasts. Can be external (worn outside the body in a bra) or internal (put in during an operation).
- Breast reconstructionOperation to make a new breast after one has been removed. Can be done by putting in a breast implant or by using muscle and skin from the back or abdomen.
- Breast screeningExamining healthy women to see if breast cancer can be picked up early – usually before there are any symptoms.
- Breast self awarenessBeing aware of how one's breasts normally look and feel so that any abnormal changes will be noticed as soon as possible.
- Breast tumoursAn overgrowth of cells in the breast, forming a lump. Tumours can be benign (non cancerous) or cancer.
- Breast ultrasoundScan of the breast using sound waves.
- BreastScreen AustraliaA government-funded organisation which aims to achieve significant reductions in mortality and morbidity from breast cancer by actively recruiting and screening women aged 50–69 years for early detection of the disease.
- Breslow scale (Breslow, Breslow thickness)A scale that measures the thickness (depth) of malignant melanomas. The thicker the primary melanoma is, the greater the risk of the cancer coming back elsewhere in the body in the future. This is because a thicker melanoma will have grown deeper into the layers of the skin. The deeper the(...)
- BronchoscopeA flexible tube with an eye piece and a light that enables doctors to see inside the windpipe (trachea) and the main airways of the lungs.
- BronchoscopyA medical examination of the airways of the lungs. A sedative is given. Then a flexible tube is put down the nose or into the mouth and down into the airways. The doctor can see the inside of the airways using an eye piece. Samples of tissue can be taken (biopsies) for examination under the(...)
- Busulphan (Myleran, Busulfex)A chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of leukaemia and lymphoma.
- BypassType of surgery to go round a blockage.