Glossary

Advance directive (also called a healthcare proxy)

an advance directive stipulates a person whom you have chosen to make health decisions for you if you are unable to. It assigns someone you trust (a "proxy" for you) to make choices-in whatever situation arises-based on the stated preferences in your living will.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplant

Transplant in which bone marrow from a donor, rather than the patient's own marrow, is infused.

Allograft

Bone marrow removed from a donor to be used in an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

Alopecia

Temporary loss of hair

Aphaeresis

A painless procedure by which blood is withdrawn from a patient's arm and circulated through a machine that removes certain components and returns the remaining components to the patient. This procedure is used to remove platelets from platelet donors blood or stem cells from patients undergoing a peripheral stem cell harvest.

Autograft

Bone marrow removed from the patient to be used in an autologous bone marrow transplant.

Autologous bone marrow transplant

Transplant in which the patients own bone marrow, rather than marrow from a donor, is infused during transplant to provide the body with a source of stem cells.

Blast cell

Immature cell.

Blast crisis

In patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, the progression of the disease to an "acute" advanced phase, evidenced by an increased number of immature white blood cells in the circulating blood. Sometimes loosely used to describe a rapid increase in the white blood cell count of any leukemic patient.

Bone marrow

Spongy tissue in the cavities of large bones, where the body's blood cells are produced.

Bone marrow aspiration

Procedure used to remove a sample of bone marrow, usually from the rear hip bone, for examination under the microscope.

Cardiac

pertaining to the heart.

Catheter

small, flexible plastic tube inserted into a portion of the body to administer or remove fluids.

CBC

compete blood count. Determines whether the proper number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are present in the patient's blood.

Central line

see central venous catheter.

Central venous catheter

small, flexible plastic tube inserted into the large vein above the heart, through which drugs and blood products can be given, and blood samples withdrawn painlessly (also called central line).

Chemo-responsive

responds to chemotherapy, e.g., a tumor is chemo-responsive if it shrinks in size following chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

drug or combination of drugs designed to cancerous cells.

Chronic

persisting for a long time.

Clinical trial

a study of the effectiveness of a drug or treatment.

CMV

see cytomegalovirus.

CNS

central nervous system

Colony stimulating factor

proteins that stimulate the production and growth of certain types of blood cells.

Conditioning

see preparative regimen.

Conjunctivitis

eye inflammation.

Contracture

shortening of muscle, skin and other soft tissue, usually in the limbs. May occur in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Cryopreservation

to preserve by freezing. Bone marrow harvested for an autologous CMT, for example, is cryopreserved.

CSF

see colony stimulating factor.

CT-scan

also called CAT-scan or CT-X-ray. A three-dimensional x-ray.

Cytomegalovirus

a virus that lies dormant in many persons bodies and frequently causes infection post-transplant. Patients who have been exposed to and still carry the virus are CMV-positive.

Dermatitis

A skin rash.

Dysplasia

Alteration in the size, shape and organization of cells or tissues.

-ectomy

Surgical removal.

Edema

Abnormal accumulation of fluid, e.g., pulmonary edema refers to a build-up of fluid in the lungs.

EKG

Test to determine the pattern of a patient''s heartbeat.

Electrolyte

Minerals found in the blood such as sodium potassium that must be maintained within a certain range to prevent organ malfunction.

-emia

Of the blood; usually refers to a blood disorder, e.g., leukemia or anemia.

Emesis

Vomit.

Encephalopathy

Abnormal functioning of the brain.

Engraftment

When bone marrow infused during a BMT "takes" or is accepted by the patient, and begins producing blood cells.

Enzyme

A protein that is capable of facilitating a chemical reaction.

Eosinophil

A type of white blood cell that protects against infection.

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