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Haemoglobin:
The part of the red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen
round the body.
Hormone:
A chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that
sends out messages which affects cells in other parts.
Hydro pool:
Some hospitals have a small swimming pool operated by the
physiotherapy department, used to help patients regain mobility.
Medication:
A pharmaceutical drug also referred to as medicine.
MRI/CT Scans:
Scans which provides a detailed picture of what is going on inside
the brain/body.
Nasogastric tube:
A medical process involving the insertion of a plastic tube
through the nose, past the throat and down to the stomach.
Nausea:
Feeling sick.
Oncology:
The study, diagnosis and treatment of tumours, especially cancers.
Paediatric Oncology:
The branch of medicine which specialises in the study and
treatment of child cancer.
PEG:
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy. A tube is inserted into the stomach
through the abdominal wall to provide nutrition.
Platelet:
A tiny cell in circulating blood which aids blood clotting.
Pneumonia:
An infection of the lung.
Primary tumour:
The tissue or organ in the body where the tumour originally
started growing.
Prognosis:
An estimate of the outcome of the disease based on the patient’s
current condition and accumulated medical knowledge about the disease and the
treatment best for it.
Protein synthesis:
The process in which cells build proteins
Pyrexia:
Fever/abnormally high body temperature.
Radiotherapy:
Treatment with x-rays, or radium cobalt and other radioactive
substances,which aims to stop growth of cells.