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 Colon Polyps Main Article |  Glossary |  Colon Polyps Index 

Colon Polyps Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Colon Polyps article.

Acquired: Anything that is not present at birth but develops some time later. In medicine, the word "acquired" implies "new" or "added." An acquired condition is "new" in the sense that it is not genetic (inherited) and "added" in the sense that was not present at birth.
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Adenoma: A benign tumor that arises in or resembles glandular tissue. If it becomes cancerous, it is called an adenocarcinoma.

Adjacent: Lying nearby. Related terms include superjacent, subjacent, and circumjacent. From ad-, near + the Latin jacere, to lie = to lie near.

AFAP: Attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis.

Aggressive: In oncology, quickly growing, tending to spread rapidly. As, for example, an aggressive tumor.
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Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.
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Aspirin: A good example of a tradename that entered into the language, Aspirin was once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid .
See the entire definition of Aspirin

Autosomal: Pertaining to a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome; relating to any one of the chromosomes save the sex chromosomes.
See the entire definition of Autosomal

Autosomal dominant: A pattern of inheritance in which an affected individual has one copy of a mutant gene and one normal gene on a pair of autosomal chromosomes. (In contrast, autosomal recessive diseases require that the individual have two copies of the mutant gene.) Individuals with autosomal dominant diseases have a 50-50 chance of passing the mutant gene and therefore the disorder onto each of their children. Examples of autosomal dominant diseases include Huntington disease, neurofibromatosis, and polycystic kidney disease.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Breast : The breast refers to the front of the chest or, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland. It is composed largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. These ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The ducts exit the breast at the nipple.
See the entire definition of Breast

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).
See the entire definition of Cancer

CAT scan : Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures on a screen. The CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan can reveal some soft-tissue and other structures that cannot even be seen in conventional X-rays. Using the same dosage of radiation as that of an ordinary X-ray machine, an entire slice of the body can be made visible with about 100 times more clarity with the CAT scan.
See the entire definition of CAT scan

Cecum: The cecum (also spelled caecum), the first portion of the large bowel, situated in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen.
See the entire definition of Cecum

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit in people and all living things. Each cell is a small container of chemicals and water wrapped in a membrane .
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Chromosome: A visible carrier of the genetic information.
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Chromosomes: The microscopically visible carriers of the genetic material. They are composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and proteins and, under a microscope, look like little rods.
See the entire definition of Chromosomes

Colon: The part of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum as a long hollow tube that serves to remove water from digested food and let the remaining material, solid waste called stool , move through it to the rectum and leave the body through the anus . .
See the entire definition of Colon

Colon cancer: A malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon . Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps . Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
See the entire definition of Colon cancer

Colon polyp: A fleshy growth on the inside (the lining) of the colon (the large intestine ). Colon polyps are extremely common. Their incidence increases as individuals get older. Half of all people over the age of 60 harbor at least one polyp. Polyps give rise to colon cancer , the second leading cause of death from cancer in the US. Screening for colon polyps and removing them before they become cancerous markedly reduces the incidence of colon cancer.
See the entire definition of Colon polyp

Colonic: 1. See: Colonic (adjective). 2. See: Colonic (noun).

Colonoscope: A flexible, lighted instrument used to view the inside of the colon.
See the entire definition of Colonoscope

Colonoscopy: A procedure in which a long flexible viewing tube (a colonoscope) is threaded up through the rectum for the purpose of inspecting the entire colon and rectum and, if there is an abnormality, taking a biopsy of it or removing it. The colonoscopy procedure requires a thorough bowel cleansing to assure a clear view of the lining. Called also coloscopy.

Colorectal: Related to the colon and/or rectum.

Colorectal cancer: Cancer of the colon and rectum. A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine. Risk factors include heredity, colon polyps, and long standing ulcerative colitis. Most colorectal cancers develop from polyps. Removal of colon polyps can prevent colorectal cancer. Since colon polyps and early cancer can have no symptoms, regular screening is important. Diagnosis can be made by barium enema or by colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation of cancer tissue. Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer.

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
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Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid. One of two types of molecules that encode genetic information. (The other is RNA . In humans DNA is the genetic material; RNA is transcribed from it. In some other organisms, RNA is the genetic material and, in reverse fashion, the DNA is transcribed from it.)
See the entire definition of DNA

Dominant: A genetic trait is considered dominant if it is expressed in a person who has only one copy of that gene. (In genetic terms, a dominant trait is one that is phenotypically expressed in heterozygotes).
See the entire definition of Dominant

Duodenum: The first part of the small intestine. The duodenum extends from the pylorus at the bottom of the stomach to the jejunum, the second part of the small intestine. The duodenum is a common site for the formation of peptic ulcers. We often live with words without thinking where they come from or what they originally meant. That is the case for me with the duodenum. For decades, this writer knew the duodenum as a short but troubled sector of the small intestine. Only today did I learn that the duodenum began as the dodeka-daktulon, twelve fingers to the Greeks, who astutely observed that the duodenum is about 12 finger-breadths long. In German, the popular term for duodenum is Zwölffingerdarm, the 12-finger intestine.

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Duplication: Part of a chromosome in duplicate, a particular kind of mutation (change) involving the production of one or more copies of any piece of DNA, including a gene or even an entire chromosome.
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Excision: 1. Surgical removal, as in the excision of a tumor . 2. The removal as if by surgery, as in base excision repair .
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Eye: The organ of sight. The eye has a number of components. These components include but are not limited to the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, retina, macula, optic nerve, choroid and vitreous.
See the entire definition of Eye

Familial: A condition that is tends to occur more often in family members than expected by chance alone. A familial disease may be genetic (such as cystic fibrosis ) or environmental (such as tuberculosis ).
See the entire definition of Familial

Familial adenomatous polyposis: Abbreviated FAP. A syndrome characterized by the formation of thousands of polyps in the colon and rectum with colorectal cancer the inevitable consequence. Polyps can also occur in the stomach, duodenum and the terminal ileum .
See the entire definition of Familial adenomatous polyposis

Familial polyposis: An inherited condition in which several hundred polyps develop in the colon and rectum.

Family: 1. A group of individuals related by blood or marriage or by a feeling of closeness. 2. A biological classification of related plants or animals that is a division below the order and above the genus. 3. A group of genes related in structure and in function that descended from an ancestral gene. 4. A group of gene products similarly related in structure and function and of shared genetic descent. 5. Parents and their children. The most fundamental social group in humans.

FAP: Familial adenomatous polyposis, a prominent hereditary colon cancer syndrome.

Fat: 1 Along with proteins and carbohydrates, one of the three nutrients used as energy sources by the body. The energy produced by fats is 9 calories per gram. Proteins and carbohydrates each provide 4 calories per gram. 2 Total fat; the sum of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help reduce blood cholesterol when substituted for saturated fats in the diet. 3 A slang term for obese or adipose. 4 In chemistry, a compound formed from chemicals called fatty acids. These fats are greasy, solid materials found in animal tissues and in some plants. Fats are the major component of the flabby material of a body, commonly known as blubber.

Fecal: Relating to the feces , the stool . The excrement discharged from the intestines.
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Feet: The plural of foot, both an anatomic structure and a unit of measure.
See the entire definition of Feet

Fiber : The parts of plants that cannot be digested, namely complex carbohydrates. Also known as bulk or roughage.
See the entire definition of Fiber

Foot: The end of the leg on which a person normally stands and walks. The foot is an extremely complex anatomic structure made up of 26 bones and 33 joints that must work together with 19 muscles and 107 ligaments to execute highly precise movements. At the same time the foot must be strong to support more than 100,000 pounds of pressure for every mile walked. Even small changes in the foot can unexpectedly undermine its structural integrity and cause pain with every step.
See the entire definition of Foot

Gene: The basic biological unit of heredity . A segment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) needed to contribute to a function.
See the entire definition of Gene

Genes: The basic biological units of heredity . Segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) needed to contribute to a function.
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Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic information.

Genetic counseling: An educational counseling process for individuals and families who have a genetic disease or who are at risk for such a disease. Genetic counseling is designed to provide patients and their families with information about their condition and help them make informed decisions.
See the entire definition of Genetic counseling

Genetic testing: Tests done for clinical genetic purposes. Genetic tests may be done for diverse purposes pertaining to clinical genetics, including the diagnosis of genetic disease in children and adults; the identification of future disease risks; the prediction of drug responses; and the detection of risks of disease to future children.
See the entire definition of Genetic testing

HNPCC: Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer.

Ileum: The lowest part of the small intestine , located beyond the duodenum and jejunum , just before the large intestine (the colon ). Pronounced "il-eum" in the US and "eye-leum" in the UK.
See the entire definition of Ileum

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease, appears in a particular population or area. In disease epidemiology, the incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period. The incidence is distinct from the prevalence which refers to the number of cases alive on a certain date.
See the entire definition of Incidence

Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. It consists of the small and large intestines.

Large intestine: Comes after the small intestine. Large because it is wider than the small intestine.

Lynch syndrome: See: Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer.

Malignant: 1. Tending to be severe and become progressively worse, as in malignant hypertension. 2. In regard to a tumor, having the properties of a malignancy that can invade and destroy nearby tissue and that may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.
See the entire definition of Malignant

Mandible: The mandible is the bone of the lower jaw. The joint where the mandible meets the upper jaw at the temporal bone is called the temporomandibular joint.

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects. The name microscope was coined by Johannes Faber (1574-1629) who in 1628 borrowed from the Greek to combined micro-, small with skopein, to view. Although the first microscopes were simple microscopes, most (if not all) optical microscopes today are compound microscopes.

Occult: Hidden.
See the entire definition of Occult

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for example, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis . There is always an onset to a disease but never to the return to good health. The default setting is good health.
See the entire definition of Onset

Ovarian: Of or pertaining to the ovary.

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Pathologist: A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

Polyp: A mass of tissue that develops on the inside wall of a hollow organ, as within the colon or rectum. The word polyp comes from the Greek words polys, many + pous, feet. The idea that a polyp has many feet is erroneous. Most polyps have a single pedicle. The term polyp is descriptive. Polyps may be benign, premalignant, or malignant.

Predispose: To make more likely or render susceptible. Smoking predisposes to a number of diseases, including esophageal cancer.

Puberty: A complex biologic and psychologic process involving sexual development, accelerated growth, and adrenal maturation heralded by the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from a part of the brain called the hypothalamus . This event is the first known step in the reproductive cascade. It initiates the pulsatile release of gonadotropins , gonadal secretion of sex steroids, pubertal development, and gametogenesis (the production of sperm and ova ).
See the entire definition of Puberty

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease. See also: Irradiation.

Radiologic: Having to do with radiology.

Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until it leaves the body through the anus. The word rectum comes from the Latin rectus meaning straight (which the human rectum is not).

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of the body by gathering information with a sensing device.
See the entire definition of Scan

Sibling: A brother or sister.

Sigmoidoscope: A thin lighted instrument used to view the inside of the rectum and lower colon.

Sigmoidoscopy: Inspection of the rectum and lower colon using a thin lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope. Samples of tissue or cells may be collected for examination under a microscope. Also called proctosigmoidoscopy.

Sign: Any objective evidence of disease. Gross blood in the stool is a sign of disease. It can be recognized by the patient, doctor, nurse, or others. In contrast, a symptom is, by its nature, subjective. Abdominal pain is a symptom. It is something only the patient can know.
See the entire definition of Sign

Skull: The skull is a collection of bones which encase the brain and give form to the head and face. The bones of the skull include the following: the frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, sphenoid, ethmoid, zygomatic, maxilla, nasal, vomer, palatine, inferior concha, and mandible.
See the entire definition of Skull

Stomach: 1. The sac-shaped digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upper part of the stomach connects to the esophagus, and the lower part leads into the small intestine.
See the entire definition of Stomach

Stool: The solid matter discharged in a bowel movement.

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Syndrome: A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease.
See the entire definition of Syndrome

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A preparation of the thyroid gland used to treat hypothyroidism. 3. Shaped like a shield. (The thyroid gland was so-named by Thomas Wharton in 1656 because it was shaped like an ancient Greek shield.)

Tissue: A tissue in medicine is not like a piece of tissue paper. It is a broad term that is applied to any group of cells that perform specific functions. A tissue in medicine need not form a layer. Thus,

  • The bone marrow is a tissue;
  • Connective tissue consists of cells that make up fibers in the framework supporting other body tissues; and
  • Lymphoid tissue is the part of the body's immune system that helps protect it from bacteria and other foreign entities.

Transverse: In anatomy, a horizontal plane passing through the standing body so that the transverse plane is parallel to the floor.
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Ureter: A tube that carries urine down from the kidney to the bladder.
See the entire definition of Ureter

Uterus: The uterus (womb) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum. The narrow, lower portion of the uterus is the cervix; the broader, upper part is the corpus. The corpus is made up of two layers of tissue.


See the entire definition of Uterus

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. Infection with a virus can cause a person to develop symptoms. The disease and symptoms that are caused depend on the type of virus and the type of cells that are infected.

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk (1884-1967). At the Lister Institute in London, Funk isolated a substance that prevented nerve inflammation (neuritis) in chickens raised on a diet deficient in that substance. He named the substance "vitamine" because he believed it was necessary to life and it was a chemical amine. The "e" at the end was later removed when it was recognized that vitamins need not be amines.
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 Colon Polyps Main Article |  Glossary |  Colon Polyps Index 




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