Back to Cancer Australia’s website
Search
(clear)
- G-CSFStands for granulocyte colony stimulating factor. A growth factor in the body which encourages the bone marrow to make white blood cells.
- Gamma cameraSpecial type of camera that takes pictures of radiation given off from the body. Used to produce bone scans and other types of scans.
- GastrectomyOperation to remove all or part of the stomach. Removing the whole stomach is a total gastrectomy. Removing part of it is a partial gastrectomy.
- GastrinA hormone that stimulates the stomach to release digestive juices.
- GastrinomaA rare type of endocrine tumour of the pancreas. It makes and releases (secretes) abnormal amounts of gastrin - a digestive hormone.
- GastritisInflammation of the stomach lining. Causes pain and indigestion symptoms and sometimes nausea (sickness) and vomiting. Chronic gastritis can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
- Gastro intestinal cancerCancer of the stomach or bowel.
- Gastro oesophageal junctionThe part of the body where the food pipe (oesophagus) connects to the stomach.
- GastroenterologistA doctor who specialises in diseases of the digestive system.
- Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST)Also known as GI stromal sarcoma. A cancer that develops from the cells that make up the supporting framework (the stroma) of the organs of the digestive system (the gastrointestinal tract).
- GastrojejunostomyAn operation to bypass a blockage of the stomach or duodenum, by joining part of the stomach to the upper part of the small bowel (the jejunum).
- Gefitinib (Iressa)An oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks the epidermal growth factor receptor. It is used in the treatment of lung cancer.
- Geiger counterA machine that measures the amount of radiation around it. Makes a clicking sound to show how much radiation there is.
- Gemcitabine (Gemzar)A chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and cancers of the breast, bladder and ovary.
- Gemtuzumab (Mylotarg)An antibody against the CD33 antigen used in the treatment of CD33 positive acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia.
- Gene (genes)Coded messages that tell cells how to behave. They control growth and development of the body. Genes are made of DNA and grouped together to form chromosomes. Different human chromosomes have different numbers of genes - most have between 1 to 2 thousand genes per chromosome.
- Gene therapy (molecular therapy)Treating cancer by repairing gene damage, or blocking the proteins that damaged genes make.
- Genetic (genetics)Related to genes. Genetic treatments are treatments that use genes. If a condition is called 'genetic' it means it is caused by a fault in one or more genes and may have been inherited.
- Genetic predispositionIf you have a 'genetic predisposition' to cancer, you are more likely to develop it than the average person. This is due to the genes you inherited from your parents.
- Genetic testingGenetic tests can be used in diagnosis, prognosis, to ascertain risk, to provide personalised treatment and to assess susceptibility to drugs and risk of side effects. This is a very new field.
- Genital wart virus (genital warts, HPV, human papilloma virus, warts, wart virus)A virus which causes warts on the genitals. Certain types of this virus have been associated with cancer of the cervix.
- Germ cellCell that produces eggs in females and sperm in males. Germ cell cancers can occur in the ovaries or testicles. They also occur more rarely in other parts of the body.
- Germ cell cancerGerm cell tumours are cancers that develop from the cells that become sperm and eggs. The most common germ cell tumours are teratomas or seminomas of the testicle. About 1 or 2% of ovarian tumours are germ cell tumours and are usually found in young women. Germ cell tumours can rarely occur in(...)
- GFR test (Glomerular filtration rate test)A test to measure how well the kidneys are working and how quickly they remove waste products from the blood. You have an injection that contains a dye. Then a number of blood samples are taken over a few hours which show how well the kidneys are filtering out the dye.
- GISTSee gastrointestinal stromal tumour.
- GlandAn organ in the body which makes and secretes (gives off) a substance such as a hormone or a digestive enzyme. For example, the salivary glands make and secrete saliva and the thyroid gland makes and secretes thyroid hormones.
- Gleason scoreThe Gleason score describes the grade of prostate cancer. Areas of cells in prostate cancer biopsies are graded on a scale from 1 to 5. 1 is the lowest grade, and the cells look most like normal cells. 5 is the highest grade and the cells look more abnormal. The scores from two areas with the(...)
- Glioblastoma multiformeThe most common primary brain tumour found in adults. Also called Grade IV astrocytoma.
- Glioma (glial cells)A type of brain tumour that grows from glial cells. Glial cells make up the supporting tissue of the brain. Over half of all brain tumours are gliomas. Types include astrocytoma, ependymoma and oligodendroglioma. Mixed gliomas contain more than one type of glial cell.
- GlucagonomaA rare type of endocrine tumour of the pancreas, which secretes (makes and releases) abnormal amounts of a hormone called glucagon.
- GM-CSFStands for 'granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factor'. A growth factor which encourages the bone marrow to make white blood cells and platelets.
- Gorlin’s syndromeAn inherited skin disorder that can increase the risk of developing basal cell skin cancer. Also called 'naevoid basal cell syndrome'.
- GPGeneral practitioner - family doctor.
- GradeDescribes how abnormal cancer cells look under the microscope. The more abnormal they look, the higher the grade of the cancer. Low grade cancers are thought to be less malignant than high grade. This means they are likely to grow more slowly and less likely to spread to other parts of the body.
- Grade: lymphomasGrade is a way of grouping together types of lymphoma that are treated in more or less the same way. There are three grades of lymphomas: high, intermediate and low. When deciding on treatment, doctors usually group high and intermediate grades together. Low grade lymphomas are slower growing,(...)
- Grade: solid tumoursWhat the cancer cells look like under the microscope. The more abnormal they look, the higher the grade of the cancer. Low grade cancers are thought to be less malignant than high grade. This means they are likely to grow more slowly and are less likely to spread to other parts of the body.
- Graft versus hostA term used in donor bone marrow transplant. The graft (the donated marrow) reacts against the host (the person receiving the marrow). It can cause diarrhoea, skin rashes and liver damage. Usually it is mild. It can be a good thing because it means the marrow has taken and is producing a good(...)
- GrayThe unit measuring how much radiation your body absorbs. Doctors prescribe radiotherapy treatments in numbers of 'Gray' (Gy for short).
- GroinWhere the inner thigh meets the body. This area contains a lot of lymph nodes.
- Gronin valveA type of valve that can help you speak after you have had your voice box (larynx) removed.
- Growth blocker/inhibitorA drug that stops a growth factor from triggering cells to divide and grow. Growth blockers are a type of biological therapy. Examples of growth blockers used to treat cancer are imatinib (Glivec) and sunitinib (Sutent).
- Growth cycle (cell cycle)The normal cycle of activity a cell goes through when reproducing itself (dividing into two).
- Growth factors (G-CSF, GM-CSF, growth factor, IL3)Natural substances produced in tiny quantities in the body which help blood cells to grow. These can now be given in large doses by injection during chemotherapy treatment to help the bone marrow recover quickly and make more blood cells. They are also used as a biological therapy to treat cancer.
- Gut sterilisersTablets given to some people having high dose chemotherapy, bone marrow or stem cell transplant. They kill off the bacteria that are normally present in the digestive system. In healthy people, these bacteria are not harmful. But in people with very little resistance to infection they can(...)
- GynaecologistA doctor specialised in treating diseases of the female sex organs – the ovaries, womb, fallopian tubes, vagina and vulva.