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accessible (ak ses' sah bul)
Refers to tumors that can be approached by a surgical procedure;
tumors that are not deep in the brain or beneath vital structures.
Inaccessible tumors cannot be approached by standard surgical
techniques.
acuity (ah ku' ih tee) Refers
to clarity or distinctness of hearing or sight.
adjuvant (ad' ju vant) A therapy
used in addition to or accompanying another treatment.
agnosia (ag no' zee ah) Loss of
ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, shapes, or
smells. Usually classified according to the sense or senses
affected (hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch). Symptom
common to tumors of the parietal lobe of the cerebral hemispheres.
agraphia (ah graf' e ah) Loss
of ability to write (a form of aphasia). Symptom common
to tumors of the parietal lobe of the dominant cerebral
hemisphere.
alopecia (al o pee' she ah) Loss of hair;
baldness in areas where hair is usually present. A common
side effect of radiation therapy to the brain and some chemical
therapies.
analgesic (an al gee' zik) A medicine
used to reduce pain.
anaplasia (an ah play' zee ah)
Characteristics of a cell (structure and orientation) that
make it identifiable as a cancer cell. Malignant.
angiogenesis (an gee o jen' ih sis)
The growth of new blood vessels from surrounding tissue
into growing tissue.
angiogram (an' gee o gram) A diagnostic
procedure done in the x-ray department to visualize blood
vessels following introduction of a contrast material into
an artery.
anorexia (an o rek' see ah) Loss
of appetite.
anosmia (an oz' me ah) Absence
of the sense of smell. Symptom common to tumors of the frontal
lobe of the cerebral hemispheres.
aphasia (ah faz' e ah) Loss of
ability to speak or write; loss of ability to understand
speech or written words.
Arteriovenous malformations,
AVMs, are complex tangles of arteries and veins which result
from abnormal development.
articulation (ar tik u lay' shun)
Speech.
artifact (ar' tih fakt) Something
artificial, a distortion that does not reflect normal anatomy
or pathology, not usually found in the body. For example,
in radiology, the appearance on an x-ray of a surgical metal
clip that obscures the clear view of an anatomical structure.
ataxic gait (ah tak' sik gate)
Walking that is clumsy, uncoordinated.
autologous (aw tol' o gus) Coming
from the same individual, as opposed to being donated by
another individual.
axial (ak' see al) Position as
it relates to the CNS. Intra-axial is within the CNS; extra-axial
is outside the CNS.
benign (be nine') Not malignant,
not cancerous.
biological response modifier (bi o
loj' ih cul ree sponse' mod' ih fi ur) A substance
used in adjuvant therapy that takes advantage of the body's
own natural defense mechanisms to inhibit the growth of
a tumor.
biopsy (bi' op see) Examination
of a small amount of tissue taken from the patient's body
to make a diagnosis.
blood brain barrier (blud brane bar'
e ur) A protective barrier formed by the blood vessels
and glia of the brain. It prevents some substances in the
blood from entering brain tissue.
cancer (kan' sur) Malignant tissue
that is invasive, destroys healthy tissue, and tends to
spread to distant locations.
carcinoma (car sih no' mah) A
malignant tumor that arises from epithelium, found in skin
or, more commonly, the lining of body organs, for example,
breast, prostate, lung, stomach or bowel. Carcinomas tend
to infiltrate into adjacent tissue and spread (metastasize)
to distant organs, for example, to bone, liver, lung or
the brain.
catheter (kath' ih tur) A flexible,
tubular surgical instrument. Used in body cavities or vessels
for the removal or insertion of fluids.
cell (sel) The basic living unit
of body tissue. It contains a nucleus surrounded by cytoplasm
and is enclosed by a membrane.
cell cycle (sel si' kul) The reproductive
stages of a cell leading to cell division (mitosis).
central nervous system (CNS) (sen'
tral nur' vus sis' tem) Pertaining to the brain, cranial
nerves and spinal cord. It does not include muscles or peripheral
nerves.
cerebellopontine angle (ser eh bel'
o pon' teen ang' gul) The angle between the cerebellum
and the pons, a common site for the growth of acoustic neuromas.
cerebral (ser e' brul) Referring
to the cerebrum.
Cerebral aneurysms Balloon-like
outpouchings of the arteries in the brain.
cerebrospinal fluid (ser e bro spi'
nal flu' id) The clear fluid made in the ventricular
cavities of the brain that bathes the brain and spinal cord.
It circulates through the ventricles and the subarachnoid
space.
cerebrum (ser e' brum) The largest
area of the brain, the cerebrum occupies the uppermost part
of the skull. It consists of two halves called hemispheres.
Each half of the cerebrum is further divided into four lobes:
frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital.
chemotherapy (ke mo ther' ah pee)
The use of chemical agents to treat brain tumors.
circumscribed (sir' come skribd)
Having a border, localized. Often associated with a capsule
and benign tumors of the brain, for example, meningiomas,
pituitary adenomas and acoustic neuromas. See diffuse.
clinical (klin' ih kul) That which
can be observed in patients. Research that uses patients
to test new treatments, as opposed to laboratory testing
or research in animals.
clinical cooperative group (klin' ih
kul co op' ur ah tiv groop) A group of medical institutions
cooperating to perform clinical (brain tumor) research.
CNS see Central Nervous System.
congenital (kon jen' ih tul) Existing
before or at birth.
contralateral (kon trah lat' ur al)
Affecting the opposite side. See ipsilateral.
cranial cavity (kra' nee ul kah' vih
tee) The skull.
craniectomy (kra nee ek' toe me)
Surgery performed on the skull where pieces of bone are
removed to gain access to the brain, and the bone pieces
are not replaced.
craniotomy
(kra ne ot' o me) Surgery performed on the skull
where a portion of bone is removed to gain access to the
brain, and the bone is put back in its place.
CSF See cerebrospinal fluid.
CT or CAT scan Computerized Axial Tomography.
An x-ray device linked to a computer that produces an image
of a predetermined cross-section of the brain. A special
dye material may be injected into the patient's vein prior
to the scan to help make any abnormal tissue more evident.
cyst (sist) A fluid-filled mass.
Usually enclosed by a membrane.
cytotoxic (sigh toe tok' sic)
Capable of killing cells.
debulk (dee bulk')
A surgical procedure to decrease mass effect by removing
a portion of a tumor or dead tissue. See mass effect.
Decadron® (dek' ah dron) Dexamethasone.
A glucocorticosteroid medication used to reduce brain tissue
swelling.
decompressive (dee kom pres' sive)
Refers to a surgical procedure during which bone, tissue,
or tumor is removed to lessen intracranial pressure.
dedifferentiate (dee dif' fur en she
ate) A mature cell returning to a less mature state.
See differentiate, undifferentiated.
delivery (dee liv' ur ee) See
drug delivery.
density (den' sih tee) The amount of darkness
or light in an area of a scan reflects the compactness and
density of tissue. Differences in tissue density are the
basis for CT and MR scans.
diabetes insipidus (di ah be' tez in
sip' id us) A problem with water balance in the body
causing excess urine production and great thirst, due to
pituitary-hypothalamic damage. Diabetes mellitus, which
has the same symptoms, is due to insufficient insulin production
by the pancreas.
differentiate (dif fur en' she ate) The
process cells undergo as they mature into normal cells.
Differentiated cells have distinctive characteristics, perform
specific functions, and are less likely to divide. See dedifferentiate,
undifferentiated.
diffuse (dif fuse') Lacking a
distinct border, not localized, spread out. See circumscribed.
diploid (dip' loyd) A cell having
two full sets of chromosomes, the normal number for human
cells. Eggs and sperm contain a single set of chromosomes
(haploid).
diplopia (dih plo' pee ah) Double
vision.
distal (dis' tull) Located far
from the reference point. See proximal.
drug delivery (drug de liv' ur ee) The method and
route used to provide medication.
dura mater (du' rah ma' tur) The
outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes
(meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord.
dysarthria (dis ar' three ah) Impairment
of speech (articulation), caused by damage or disorder of
the tongue or speech muscles. Symptom may indicate pressure
on the brain stem (medulla oblongata) or elsewhere in the
posterior fossa.
dysfunctional (dis funk' shun al)
Working improperly or abnormally.
dysphagia (dis fay' gee ah) Difficulty
in swallowing or inability to swallow. Symptom usually indicates
tumors involving the lower brain stem.
dysphasia (dis fay' zee ah) Language
disorder. Inability to speak words which one has in mind
or to think of correct words; or inability to understand
spoken or written words. Symptom common to tumors of the
dominant cerebral hemisphere, particularly the frontal,
temporal, and parietal lobes.
edema (eh dee' mah)
Swelling due to an excess of water.
embryonic (em bree on' ik) Undeveloped,
related to the embryo.
emesis (em' ih sis) Vomiting.
encapsulated (en kap' sue la ted) Refers
to a tumor that is wholly confined to a specific area, surrounded
by a capsule. Localized.
epidemiology (ep ih dee me ol' o gee)
The study of the distribution of disease and its impact
upon a population, using such measures as incidence, prevalence,
or mortality.
Epilepsy Brain disorder involving recurrent
seizures or temporary alteration in one or more brain functions.
etiology (e tee ol' o gee) The
study of the cause of a disease.
evoked potentials (e voked' po ten'
shals) The use of electrodes to measure the electrical
activity of nerves. May be used as a guide during surgical
removal of tumors growing around important nerves.
extracerebral (eks trah seh ree' bral)
Located outside the cerebral hemispheres.
extradural (eks trah du' ral)
External (outside) to the dura mater.
focal (foe' kal)
Limited to one specific area.
foci (fo' sigh) Plural of focus.
The origin or center of a disseminated disease.
gait (gate) Pattern
of walking.
ganglia (gang' lee ah) A mass
of nerve tissue (gray matter), or a group of nerve cell
bodies. Also refers to specific groups within the brain
or spinal cord (as basal ganglia). Ganglion is the singular
of ganglia.
generic (je ner' ik) A drug not
protected by a trademark. Also, the scientific name as opposed
to the proprietary, brand name.
genesis (jen' ih sis) The beginning
of a process.
GFAP Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein. This
protein, found in microfilaments of glial cells, helps distinguish
glial from non-glial tumors. A laboratory stain is used
to test for its presence.
gland (gland) An organ of the
body that produces materials (hormones) released into the
bloodstream, such as the pituitary or pineal gland. Hormones
influence metabolism and other body functions.
glia (neuroglia) (glee' ah) Supportive
tissue of the brain. There are three types of glial tissue:
astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia. Glial cells
do not conduct electrical impulses, as opposed to neurons.
glioma (glee o' mah) Any tumor
arising from glial tissue.
glucocorticosteroids (glu ko kor tih ko stair'
oid) Medications used to decrease swelling around tumors.
gray matter (gray mat' ur) Gray
matter, the "thinking brain", appears gray because it is
composed of numerous nerve cells and blood vessels. The
outer layer of the cerebrum - the cerebral cortex, and areas
deep within the brain - the basal ganglia, are made up of
gray matter. See white matter.
growth factor (growth fak' tur) A naturally
occurring protein chemical that stimulates cell division
and proliferation. It is produced by normal cells during
embryonic development, tissue growth, and wound healing.
Tumors, however, produce large amounts of growth factors.
hemianopsia (hem e an
op' see ah) Loss of one half of the field of vision
(the area that can be seen by each eye when staring straight
ahead).
hemiparesis (hem e par' e sis)
Muscle weakness of one side of the body.
hemiplegia (hem e plee' je ah)
Complete paralysis of one side of the body.
hereditary (heh red'ih tair e)
Transferred via genes from parent to child. Also called
genetic.
herniation (her nee a' shun) Bulging
of tissue through an opening in a membrane, muscle or bone.
heterogeneous (het er o gee' nee us)
Composed of varied cell types.
homogeneous (ho mo gee' nee us)
Composed of identical cell types.
hydrocephalus (hi dro sef' ah lus)
Hydro = water, cephalo = head. Excess water in the brain
due to blockage of cerebrospinal fluid flow, increased production,
or decreased absorption.
hyperfractionation (hi per frak shun
a' shun) An increased number of smaller dosage treatments
of radiation therapy.
hyperthermia (hi per ther' me ah)
The use of heat to kill tumor cells.
hypophysis (hi pof' ih sis) Pituitary
gland.
hypotonicity (hi po toe nis' ih tee)
Diminished muscle tone; limp muscles.
ICP Intracranial pressure,
harmful when increased.
IICP Increased intracranial pressure
immunotherapy (im mu no ther' ah pee)
Use of the body's immune system to fight tumors. See biological
response modifier.
inaccessible (in ak ses' sah bul)
See accessible.
infiltrating (in' fil tray ting)
Refers to a tumor that penetrates the normal, surrounding
tissue.
informed consent (in formed' kon sent')
The right to have information explained to you so that you
fully understand and agree to the nature of the proposed
treatment.
interstitial radiation therapy (in ter stish'
al ray dee a' shun ther' ah pee) The implantation of
radioactive seeds directly into a tumor.
intra-arterial (in trah-ar te' re al)
Injection into an artery (that may supply a tumor).
intracerebral (in trah seh ree' bral)
Located within the cerebral hemispheres (cerebrum). See
extracerebral.
intracranial (in trah kra' nee al)
Within the skull.
intradural (in trah du' ral) Beneath
the dura mater.
intramuscular (in trah mus' ku lar) Into
a muscle.
intrathecal (in trah thee' kal) Injection
into the sub-arachnoid space of the meninges. Usually done
by lumbar puncture.
intratumoral (in trah tu mor' al)
Injection into a tumor (usually performed during surgery).
intravenous (in trah vee' nus) Injection
into a vein.
intraventricular (in trah ven trik' u lar)
Injection into a ventricle.
invasive (in vay' siv) Refers
to a tumor that invades healthy tissues. The opposite of
encapsulated. Also called diffuse or infiltrating.
ipsilateral (ip sah lat' ur al) Affecting
the same side. See contralateral.
irradiation (ih ray dee a' shun)
Treatment by ionizing radiation, such as x-rays, or radioactive
sources such as radioactive iodine seeds. See radiation
therapy.
laser (lay' zur)
An acronym of light amplification by stimulated emission
of radiation. A surgical tool that creates intense heat
and power when focused at close range, destroying cells
by vaporizing them.
lethargy (leth' ar gee) Sluggishness,
drowsiness, indifference.
local (lo' kal) In the area of
the tumor; confined to one specific area.
lumbar puncture (lum' bar punk' tur) Spinal
tap. Needle penetration into the subarachnoid space of the
lumbar spine. Used to withdraw a sample of spinal fluid
for examination. Also used to inject a dye into the spine
prior to a myelogram.
malignant (mah lig' nant)
Cancerous or life-threatening, tending to become progressively
worse.
Mannitol® (man' ih tol) A medication
given to reduce brain swelling and elevated intracranial
pressure. Also used to temporarily disrupt the blood brain
barrier prior to some forms of chemotherapy.
mass effect (mas ef fekt') Damage
to the brain due the bulk of a tumor, the blockage of fluid,
or excess accumulation of fluid within the skull.
median survival (me' de an sur vi'
val) Median means the middle value. An equal number
of people live longer as die earlier than the median.
membrane (mem' brain) Thin layer of tissue
covering a surface, lining a body cavity, or dividing a
space or organ.
metastasize (meh tas' tah siz)
To spread to another part of the body, usually through the
blood vessels, lymph channels, or spinal fluid.
metastatic brain tumor (meh tah stat'
ick brain tu' mor) A brain tumor caused by cancer elsewhere
in the body spreading to the brain.
monoclonal antibodies (MAB) (mon o
klon' al an' te bod eze) A biological response modifier
with unique "homing device" properties. Chemicals or radiation
tagged to the MAB may be delivered directly to tumor cells.
Or, the MAB itself may be capable of tumor cell destruction.
MRI scan Magnetic Resonance Imaging. MRI is a scanning
device that uses a magnetic field, radio waves, and a computer.
Signals emitted by normal and diseased tissue during the
scan are assembled into an image.
mutate (mu tate') Change in the
genetic material (DNA) inside the cell.
necrosis (neh kro' sis)
Dead cells. A common feature of glioblastoma multiforme
and other malignant tumors, including metastatic cancer
to the brain. Caused either by lack of blood supply or irradiation.
neoplasm (nee' o plazm) A tumor,
either benign or malignant.
neuroectoderm (nur o eck' toe durm)
The region of the embryo that eventually develops into the
nervous system.
neuron (new' ron) Nerve cell;
conducts electrical signals.
neurologist Identifies neurological disorders through
diagnostic testing and uses medical (pharmacolgic) means
to treat them.
Neurosurgery The surgical treatment of the nervous
system and its coverings. Neurosurgeons operate on the brain,
spinal cord, the skull and scalp, and the spine (bony vertebral
column).
nervous system (nur' vus sis' tem) The
entire integrated system of nerve tissue in the body: the
brain, brain stem, spinal cord, nerves and ganglia.
nuclear medicine (noo' klee ar med'
ih sin) The branch of medicine that deals with the
use of radioisotopes in therapy and diagnosis.
nucleus (noo' klee us) The center
of the cell containing the genetic information (genes and
chromosomes, DNA, etc). The appearance of the nucleus is
used as a criterion to determine the malignant potential
of a cell or tissue.
nystagmus (nis tag' mus) Rapid
movement of the eyeballs.
Ommaya reservoir (o my'
ah rez' ur vwar) A device with a fluid reservoir implanted
under the scalp with a catheter to a ventricle. It allows
for medication to be given directly to the CSF and into
the brain.
oncogene (ong' ko jean) Fragments of genetic
material (DNA) that carry the potential to cause cancer
(transform normal cells into malignant cells).
oncogenesis (ong ko jen' eh sis)
The causation or production of tumors.
palliative care (pal'
e ah tiv kare) Caring for a patient by maintaining
the best quality of remaining life. Also offering support
and guidance to the patient and family.
palsy (pawl' zee) Complete paralysis.
papilledema (pap il eh dee' mah) Swelling
of the optic nerve. Indicates increased intracranial pressure
on the optic nerve. Also called choked disc.
paralysis (pah ral' ih sis) Loss
of muscle function due to injury or disease of the nervous
system.
paresis (pah ree' sis) Weakness.
paresthesia (par es thee' ze ah)
Abnormal sensations, such as burning, prickling.
PET scan Positron Emission Tomography. A scanning
device which uses low-dose radioactive sugar to measure
brain activity. This is a limited-use diagnostic tool.
Phenobarbitol® (fee no bar'bih tol) A
sedating medication used to control seizures.
photodynamic radiation therapy (foe toe di
nam'ik ray dee a' shun ther'ah pee) A light sensitive
drug is given through a vein and concentrates in the tumor.
Then, during a surgical procedure, a special light activates
the drug. The activated drug kills tumor cells.
PNET Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor
primary brain tumor (pri' mar ee brane tu'
mor) Original source of tumor is the brain rather than
other areas of the body.
primitive (prim' ih tiv) Undeveloped
or in early stages of development, undifferentiated.
prognosis (prog no' sis) A forecast
as to probable outcome.
protocol (pro' toe kol) An outline
of care; a treatment plan.
proto-oncogenes (pro' toe-ong' koe jeans)
Fragments of genetic material (DNA), related to oncogenes,
but are the normal "switches" used to control growth and
tissue repair.
proximal (prock' sih mal) Located
closest to the reference point. See distal.
quality of life (kwol'
ih tee ov life) Refers to the level of comfort, enjoyment,
ability to pursue daily activities. Often used in discussions
of treatment options.
radiation therapy (ray
dee a' shun ther' ah pee) The use of radiation energy
to interfere with tumor growth. See irradiation.
radioresistant (ray dee o ree zis'
tant) Resistant to radiation therapy.
radiosensitive (ray dee o sen' sih tiv)
Responsive to radiation therapy.
radiosurgery
See stereotactic radiosurgery
recurrence (ree kur' ens) The return of
symptoms or the tumor itself, as opposed to a remission.
rehabilitation (ree hah bil ih tay' shun)
The return of function after illness or injury, often with
the assistance of specialized medical professionals.
remission (ree mish' shun) The disappearance
of symptoms; the disappearance of the tumor.
resection (ree sek' shun) Surgical
removal of a tumor.
residual (ree zid' yu al) Remaining tumor.
respiration (res pur a' shun)
Breathing. To inhale and exhale.
seizure (see' zhur)
Convulsions. Epilepsy. Due to temporary disruption in electrical
activity of the brain.
shunt (shunt) A drainage system.
Spinal fluid flows from a ventricle into a body cavity via
a tube. Used to relieve increased intracranial pressure
caused by brain tumors that block the flow of spinal fluid.
spasticity (spas tis' ih tee)
Increased involuntary muscle contraction (the opposite of
hypotonicity).
spinal fluid (spy' nal flu' id)
See cerebrospinal fluid
stalk (stawk) A stem. Usually
refers to the pituitary stalk that connects the pituitary
gland to the hypothalamus.
stereotactic (steh ree o tak' tik)
Precise positioning in three dimensional space. Refers to
surgery or radiation therapy directed by various scanning
devices.
stereotactic radiosurgery
(steh ree o tak' tik ra' dee o sir' jur ee) A radiation
therapy technique that uses a large number of narrow, precisely
aimed, highly focused beams of ionizing radiation. The beams
are aimed from many directions circling the head, and meet
at a specific point.
steroids (stair' oid) See glucocorticosteroids.
strabismus (strah biz' mus) Imperfect
eye coordination (crossed eyes).
subcutaneous (sub cue tay' nee us)
Beneath the skin.
systemic (sis tem' ik) Circulating
throughout the body.
Tegretol® (teg' rit tol)
Carbamazine. A medication given to control seizures; also
used for pain relief in patients who have trigeminal neuralgia.
tinnitus (tin nye' tus) Buzzing
or ringing in the ear. Symptom common to tumors of the acoustic
nerve.
tissue (tish' yu) A group of similar
cells united to perform a specific function.
tumor (tu' mor) An abnormal growth.
Tumors may be benign or malignant by cell type, or life-threatening
(malignant) by their location.
tumor marker (tu' mor mar' kur)
Substances found in blood or other fluids that identify
the presence of a tumor, and/or the tumor type.
ultrasound (ul' trah
sownd) Visualization of structures in the body by recording
the reflections of sound waves directed into tissues. May
be used during surgery.
undifferentiated (un' dif fur en' she a ted)
An immature, embryonic, or primitive cell. It has a nonspecific
appearance with multiple nonspecific activities and functions
poorly. See differentiate, dedifferentiate.
vascular (vas' cue lur)
Relating to blood vessels.
vascularity (vas ku lair' ih tee)
The blood supply of a tumor.
ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) A tube hidden
inside the body that connects your child's ventricles (the
CSF reservoir in the brain) to his peritoneal cavity (the
space in the abdomen that contains the stomach and other
organs).
ventriculo-atrial (VA) shunt:
the tube empties into the right atrium of the heart.
ventriculo-peritoneal
(VP) shunt: the tube empties into the abdominal cavity.
vertigo (ver' tih go) Dizziness.
Symptom common to tumors of the acoustic nerve.
white matter (whyte mat'
ur) Brain tissue composed of myelin-coated nerve cell
fibers. White matter carries information between the nerve
cells in the brain and spinal cord. The inner portion of
the cerebrum is composed of white matter. See gray matter.
