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- Stem cell harvest (stem cell collection)Collecting blood stem cells from the blood for a stem cell transplant. Before the collection, you will be given injections of growth factors to help lots of stem cells to develop. When your white blood cell count is high enough, your stem cells are collected using a stem cell collecting machine.
- Stem cell transplantA treatment for some types of cancer, leukaemia and lymphoma. Stem cells are collected from the blood of a patient or a donor. The patient then has very high doses of chemotherapy (and sometimes whole body radiotherapy) to kill cancer cells. The collected stem cells are then given back to the(...)
- Stem cells (blood stem cells, peripheral blood stem cells)Stem cells are the cells in the bone marrow from which red blood cells, white cells and platelets develop. Stem cells can be collected from the blood of a patient or donor to use as part of stem cell transplant treatment for some types of cancer, leukaemia or lymphoma.
- Stent (stents)A stent is a tube used to keep open structures in the body that are becoming blocked off. For example, in cancer of the lung a stent may be used to keep open an airway that is getting blocked by a tumour.
- SterilisationCan mean to thoroughly clean something and kill any bacteria that might be there. It can also mean preventing pregnancy by cutting or blocking the tubes from a woman's ovaries, or cutting the tubes that carry sperm in a man.
- SterilityInability to have children.
- Sternum (chest bone)The bone at the front of the chest where the ribs meet. Bone marrow is sometimes taken from the sternum during a bone marrow harvest.
- Steroid replacement therapySteroid treatment (usually as tablets) given when the body is not producing steroids naturally.
- SteroidsSubstances made naturally in the body. They affect many functions of the body. Steroids can now be made artificially and used in cancer treatment as tablets or injections. They have side effects,such as difficulty sleeping, increased appetite and water retention.
- StomaAn opening to the outside of the body formed during surgery. Can be a colostomy (opening of the large bowel onto the abdomen), ileostomy (opening of the small bowel onto the abdomen), urostomy (opening of the urine system onto the abdomen after bladder removal) or a tracheostomy (a hole in the(...)
- Stoma appliances (stoma bag, stoma bags)Bags and seals that are made to use with a stoma. There are many different types and it may take a few tries to find the one that suits you.
- Stoma nurseA nurse who is specially trained and experienced at working with people who have a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy. The stoma nurse can help you find the right type of stoma appliances for you and help solve any problems or difficulties that you may have in coping with your stoma.
- StomachAn organ of the digestive system. The stomach digests food and absorbs water.
- StreptozocinA chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of carcinoid tumours and pancreatic islet cell tumours.
- StridorMaking a rasping noise when breathing, caused when an airway is partly blocked in some way.
- Strontium (metastron, Sr89)A radioactive isotope used to treat bone cancer. A small dose of a liquid is injected into the body. It finds it way into the bones where it gives a high local dose of radiotherapy.
- Subcapsular orchidectomyRemoval of the inner part of a testicle from inside its covering, or capsule.
- Subcutaneous breast reconstructionA type of breast reconstruction. The skin and nipple are left in place, the breast tissue is taken away from underneath, and an implant is put in under the skin to create a new breast shape.
- Subcutaneous injection (subcutaneously)An injection into the layer of fat just under the skin.
- Subcutaneous tissueThe tissue underneath the outer layers of the skin.
- SubglottisPart of the voice box (larynx) - the area below the vocal cords that contains the cricoid cartilage and continues down into the windpipe (trachea).
- Submuscular breast reconstructionA type of breast reconstruction where an implant is put under the muscles of the chest wall after the breast has been removed. This creates a new breast shape.
- Sunitinib (Sutent)Sunitinib is a growth blocker that is typically used for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumour.
- Superficial spreading melanomaThe most common type of malignant melanoma. This has an early phase (called the radial phase) where it grows outwards rather than downwards into the skin. So if you catch it early when it has not begun to grow downwards into the skin layers, it is unlikely to recur after it has been removed.
- Support group (cancer support group, support groups)Groups of patients (and sometimes their relatives or friends) who have the same type of disease. They meet together to talk about their experiences and find ways of helping themselves.
- Supportive careSupportive care means treatment and physical care given to control cancer symptoms and reduce the side effects of cancer treatments. Supportive care aims to give patients the best possible quality of life and is often compared to new treatments for symptoms in palliative care clinical trials.(...)
- SuppositoryDrugs inside a soft, waxy substance that is put into the back passage (rectum). The drugs are absorbed into the lining of the rectum and go into the bloodstream. This is a fast way of getting drugs into your system and is helpful if eating or drinking are a problem. Glycerine suppositories do(...)
- Suppressor T cellA specialised type of white blood cell that tells B cells when to stop making antibodies. It is part of the immune response.
- SurgeryMedical treatment to remove or repair body tissue during an operation. Surgery can be done with a scalpel (knife) or with lasers that cut through body tissue.
- Surgical biopsyRemoving a piece of tissue during a surgical operation.
- Surgical voice restorationA specialised type of surgery that creates a small hole between the windpipe and food pipe for a voice valve. This helps people learn to speak again after they have had their voice box removed (laryngectomy).
- SurveillanceDoctors watching to see if you have signs of cancer before you have symptoms or if an early cancer is starting to grow. Surveillence may be used if you have an increased risk of developing a certain type of cancer or if you have had cancer or a precancerous condition in the past. You have(...)
- Symptom controlTreatment to manage or control the effects of a disease such as pain or sickness.
- Symptom (symptoms)Anything noticed by a patient that indicates there is something wrong. Can help the doctor diagnose a particular disease.
- SynovialMeans 'to do with the tissues lining the joints'. Synovial fluid is the fluid inside a joint. Synovial sarcoma is a type of cancer that starts in the cells inside a joint.
- Systematic reviewA study of the published results of several trials that have tested a particular treatment or therapy. The results of these trials are looked at together to draw a conclusion.
- Systemic diseaseA disease that affects the whole body. Leukaemias and lymphomas are systemic diseases because the blood system and the lymphatic system are all over the body. Systemic diseases are treated with treatments that can affect the whole body (such as chemotherapy) rather than local treatments such(...)
- Systemic treatmentTreatment that reaches the whole body. For example, chemotherapy is usually a systemic treatment because it circulates throughout the body in the blood stream. Systemic treatments are used for cancers that have already spread or may spread in the future.
- T cell lymphomaA cancer of the lymphatic system where the cells that have become cancerous are a type of white blood cell called T lymphocytes.
- T lymphocytes (T cells)A type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes make up a quarter to a third of the white blood cells. There are two types - B and T cells. The T lymphocytes help the B cells make antibodies as part of the immune response.
- T testStatistical test that helps to show if there is a real difference between different treatments being.
- Tamoxifen (Genox, GenRx, Nolvadex, Tamosin, Tamoxen nolvadex, tamofen)A selective oestrogen receptor modulator that can act like oestrogen in some body tissues (eg bones) and oppose the action of oestrogen in other body tissues (eg the breast). It is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
- Tamoxifen retinopathyA very rare long term side effect of Tamoxifen. The light sensitive cells at the back of the eye are damaged, which causes problems with vision. This side effect usually goes away when the drug is stopped.
- Taste budsAreas on the tongue which pick up different tastes - salty, sweet, sour and bitter. They can be damaged by radiotherapy.
- Taste changesA side effect of some chemotherapy drugs and of radiotherapy to the head. Some foods can taste metallic. Others may not taste of anything at all. Taste is usually back to normal after treatment is finished. But some radiotherapy treatment can cause permanent loss of taste.
- Tattoo (tattoos, pinprick tattoos)Permanent ink mark on the skin. Tiny pinprick tattoos are sometimes made during radiotherapy planning. These are used to help line up the machine for treatment.
- TaxaneTaxanes are a group of chemotherapy drugs. They block the growth of cancer cells by stopping cells dividing. They were originally developed from the yew tree. This group of drugs includes paclitaxel (Taxol) and docetaxel (Taxotere).
- Temozolamide (Temodal)An oral chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma and metastatic melanoma.
- TemperatureMeans how hot or cold something is. Used commonly to mean a body temperature above normal (98.4oF or 37oC) as in ‘I have a temperature’.
- Temporary colostomyAn opening of the bowel onto the surface of the abdomen (tummy) that is not permanent. You have the colostomy while your bowel is recovering from surgery. When the operation site has healed, the colostomy is reversed (closed up) and you pass bowel motions normally again.