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- Cone biopsyRemoval of a cone shaped piece of the cervix. Used as a treatment for abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix (or sometimes very early cervical cancer). The area that is removed is where cervical cells are most likely to become abnormal. So it helps to prevent abnormal cells coming back,(...)
- Confidence intervalRange of values that researchers believe an experimental result lies between. What they are really saying with a 95% confidence interval is that while their result might not be exactly right, they are 95% sure that the real result lies between the upper and lower limits they have given.
- Confidential (confidentiality)Private. If information about you is confidential, no one can pass it on to anyone else without your permission.
- Conformal radiotherapy (3D conformal radiotherapy, 3DCRT)A way of planning and giving radiotherapy using computer technology that allows the tumour to be seen in 3 dimensions (3D). This helps to shape the radiation beams so that they are moulded to fit the area where the cancer is.
- ConjunctivaThe outer covering of the eyeball. Very, very rarely malignant melanoma can develop in the conjunctiva.
- Connective tissueThe connective tissues of the body are the tissues that hold the organs and other body structures in place. Specialised connective tissues include bones, cartilage, muscles, and nerves. Cancers of connective tissue are called sarcomas.
- ConsentAgree to something, or give permission for something to be done.
- Consent formForm that you sign before treatment (especially surgery) or before taking part in a clinical trial. The form says that you have been told about the treatment or trial and any possible complications.
- Contact detailsInformation on how to contact a person. If you are having treatment you will normally be told who to contact if you have any side effects from the treatment or if you have any questions. If you have been given information about a clinical trial, you will be given contact details for the person(...)
- ContagiousA contagious (infectious) disease is one that is spread from one person to another by contact (touch) or through air.
- Continence advisersContinence advisers are experienced nurses who have had specialist training to help people with bladder or bowel problems.
- Continent urinary diversionAn operation to remove the bladder and make a pouch inside the body to collect your urine. The pouch is emptied by putting a catheter through a stoma (opening) in the abdomen and draining it out.
- Continuous ambulatory chemotherapyLiterally means chemotherapy given all the time that you can walk around with! Usually used to mean treatment with a small (personal stereo sized) pump that is worn under the clothes.
- Continuous chemotherapy (continuous administration)Way of giving chemotherapy treatment. The chemotherapy drug is given all the time, through a pump.
- Contrast medium (contrast injection)A substance used to give a clearer picture on a scan. Can be a drink or injection given to a patient before the scan.
- Control groupIn research, the control group is the group of patients not having the treatment being tested in the study. Their results are compared to those of the treatment group. Usually the control group has the best current treatment available.
- Controlled trialA type of clinical trial where one group of patients is compared to another. Usually the patients are put into the two groups at random to help stop the results being biased.
- Core needle biopsyA tissue sample (biopsy) taken using a needle. The needle is put into the lump and a core of tissue is removed inside it when it is taken out. This tissue sample is checked under the microscope for cancer cells.
- Corticosteroids (prednisone, dexamethasone)Used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. Also used to treat cerebral oedema and spinal cord compression and to treat leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
- CounsellingHelping someone to work through their feelings or problems by listening to them and supporting them.
- CounsellorSomeone trained to provide counselling.
- COX 2 inhibitorsCOX 2 inhibitors are a type of non steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAIDs). These drugs block an enzyme (cyclo-oxygenase) that helps cancer cells develop. So these drugs may help lower the risk of some cancers occurring and may help to prevent cancers coming back. This is being investigated(...)
- Crohn’s diseaseA disorder where the bowel becomes inflamed and ulcerated. Symptoms can come and go. It is not curable, but is treatable with drugs and sometimes surgery. Having Crohn's disease for several years can increase risk of bowel cancer, so doctors may suggest screening.
- CryotherapyTreatment using a cold probe to remove cells and tissue by freezing. Used to treat abnormal cells found after a cervical smear. Can be used in the treatment of other cancers, including prostate cancer and secondary liver cancer.
- CT Scan (CAT scan, CT scans)Computerised tomography scan. A scan that makes a picture of the body by taking a series of X-rays.
- Cumfy (cumfies)Soft breast shaped pad worn in the bra after an operation to remove a breast until the scar has healed. Then a breast prosthesis will be fitted.
- Curative treatmentTreatment which is aiming to cure a disease.
- CuretteA surgical instrument shaped like a scoop and used to remove diseased or damaged parts of the body.
- CutaneousMeans 'of the skin'. So a cutaneous cancer is a cancer of the skin. The term 'cutaneous malignant melanoma' is used to distinguish between these cancers growing in the skin and malignant melanomas growing in the eye or internal organs.
- Cutaneous T cell lymphomaA rare type of lymphoma that affects the skin. It begins with red scaly patches forming on the skin. These may be very itchy. The two main types of T cell lymphoma of the skin are Mycosis Fungoides and Sezary Syndrome. Often treated with ultraviolet light and with chemotherapy and steroids.
- CyclophosphamideA chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of breast, lung, ovary, testis and bladder cancers. Also used in bone and soft tissue sarcomas, lymphoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma.
- CyprostatA drug used to treat prostate cancer. Its full name is cyproterone acetate.
- Cyst (cysts)Fluid filled sack or lump in the body.
- CystectomyOperation to remove the bladder.
- Cystic tumourType of tumour which looks like a fluid filled cyst. Cystic tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancer). They are most common in the pancreas, but can occur in other parts of the body such as the ovary and around the heart.
- Cystitis (bladder infection, UTI)Bladder or urinary tract infection.
- CystoscopeAn instrument for looking at the inside of the bladder, the prostate gland and urethra.
- CystoscopyA bladder test. A surgeon puts a tube into the bladder and uses it to look inside the bladder and urethra to check if there is anything wrong. You can have a cystoscopy under local or general anaesthetic.
- Cytarabine (ara-C)A chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of leukaemia and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Cytogenetic responseA way of describing how you've responded to treatment for some types of blood cancer. In chronic myeloid leukaemia (and some types of acute leukaemia), your blood cells show a gene fault called the 'Philadelphia chromosome'. Cytogenetic response means that treatment has reduced the number of(...)
- CytogeneticsThe study and testing of chromosomes. Can find particular chromosome changes in some cancer cells to give a diagnosis and predict which treatment will work best.
- CytokinesA group of proteins that occur naturally in the body and carry out a vital role as 'messengers' in the immune system. The blood cell growth factors G-CSF and GM-CSF are cytokines. They tell the bone marrow to make more blood cells.
- CytologyStudy of cells. Biopsies, urine samples, etc are sent for 'cytology', which means looking at the cells under a microscope to see if any of them are abnormal.
- CytoscopyA test that allows your doctor to look at the interior lining of the bladder and the urethra.
- Cytotoxic'Toxic to cells' - anti-cancer treatments are cytotoxic treatments such as chemotherapy.
- Cytotoxic drugsAnti-cancer drugs. Another name for chemotherapy.
- Cytotoxic T cells (killer T cells)Cells of the immune system that kill other cells foreign to the body (for example, bacteria, viruses and cancer cells). Cytotoxic T cells are a type of white blood cells.