A condition where the red blood count is low. A shortage of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.

Medications used to treat infections.

The loss of appetite. Many cancer patients lose their appetites because of illness or therapies used to treat their diseases.

Protein produced by the immune system to fight infections.

Medication designed specifically to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting.

The surgical removal of tissue for microscopic examination to determine whether cancer cells are present.

Cells that make up the blood. They are made in the bone marrow and consist of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

The number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a blood sample.

The spongy material found inside the bones. Blood cells are made in the bone marrow.

A procedure in which a needle is inserted into a large bone and bone marrow cells are removed for examination, usually done under conscious sedation.

A procedure to replace bone marrow that has been destroyed by treatment with high doses of anticancer drugs or radiation. Transplantation may be autologous (an individual's own marrow saved before treatment), allogeneic (marrow donated by someone else), or syngeneic (marrow donated by an identical twin).

A decrease in the number of blood cells made. This condition can be caused by chemotherapy, radiation, or disease.

A picture of the bones using a radioactive dye that reveals any injury, disease, or healing. This is a valuable test to determine if cancer has spread to the bone, if anticancer therapy is successful, and if affected bony areas are healing.

Also called CT scan or computerized tomography. In this non-invasive exam, a series of X-ray images show sections inside the body.

Treatment of cancer with various drugs.

Chemotherapy usually given after all detectable tumor is removed by surgery or radiotherapy in order to kill any cancer cells that may still be in the body.

The use of more than one cancer drug during cancer treatments.

A condition in which fluid collects in tissues, usually in the feet or hands, which causes swelling and/or pain.

A record of the electrical activity of the heart. Often called an EKG.

Redness of the skin.

An inflammation of the tube leading from the mouth to the stomach. Infection, difficulty in swallowing, bleeding, or ulceration are possible.

The percentage of red blood cells in the body.

Blood in the urine.

The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues.

A virus that causes a type of sore often seen around the mouth, commonly called a cold sore.

An intravenous line tunneled underneath the skin to a large vein by a surgeon. It makes repeated blood draws and giving medications or transfusions easier.

The body system that protects from foreign substances, cells, and tissues. It helps the body fight infections and disease.

A reduced ability to fight infections and disease that occurs when the body's immune system is weakened.

The artificial stimulation of the body's immune system to treat or fight disease.

A method of delivering fluids or medications into the bloodstream over a period of time.

Administering a medication using a syringe and needle.

Administering fluid or medications directly into a vein.

Cancer of the blood. White blood cells are produced in excessive amounts and are unable to work properly.

The part of the immune system that acts as our first line of defense against infections and cancer.

To spread from the original cancer site (such as breast cancer metastasizing to the bone).

A complication of some cancer therapies in which the lining of the digestive system becomes inflamed. Often seen as sores in the mouth.

The study and treatment of cancer. Doctors who specialize in oncology are called oncologists.

Small red or purple spots under the skin indicating areas of bleeding.

Blood cells that cause clotting.

A plan of care outlining specific treatment guidelines.

A series of breathing tests that evaluate pulmonary (lung) status.

An X-ray treatment that damages or kills cancer cells.

Blood cells that bring oxygen to tissues and take carbon dioxide from them.

Complete or partial disappearance of a disease; the period when the disease is under control.

Reactivation of the chicken pox virus, which settles around certain nerves, causing swelling and pain.

Tests to determine the location and extent of the cancer in the body.

Grandparent cells of the white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets found in the bone marrow.

Hormones often used in cancer treatment.

Inflammation and soreness of the mouth, sometimes a side effect of chemotherapy.

An abnormal growth of cells or tissues. Tumors may be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

Low percentage of platelets in the blood.

Cells responsible for fighting infection (WBC) and allergy-causing agents.