Colorectal
Glossary
Glossary
| Abdomen | The part of the body that contains the stomach, bowel and other digestive organs, also known as the tummy |
| Analgesics | Pain relievers / killers |
| Adjuvant Chemotherapy | Chemotherapy given after the main tumour has been removed |
| Anaesthetist | A doctor whose role is to put you to sleep so that you feel no pain during your operation |
| Anus | The outlet of the back passage |
| Barium Enema | A white solution introduced via the anus, enabling visualization of the colon and rectum |
| Benign | A growth which is not cancer or malignant and does not have the ability to spread to other organs |
| Catheter | A flexible tube that allows urine to pass out of the bladder |
| Chemotherapy | Treatment using drugs |
| Colon | The large bowel or intestine |
| Colorectal Nurse (Specialist) | A senior nurse who is an expert at looking after people with large bowel cancer |
| Diagnosis | Determination of the cause of the disease |
| Faeces | Motions, stools, waste products |
| Immune System | Blood cells and vessels in your body which fight infection |
| Large Intestine | Large bowel |
| Lymph Node | A gland like mass of tissue that can filter cancer cells from the lymph fluid |
| Malignancy | A growth which is cancerous and so has the ability to spread to other organs |
| Metastases | The spread of cancer cells to other distant parts of the body by way of the blood or lymph fluid |
| Oncologist | A doctor who specialises in cancer care and prescribes chemotherapy and radiotherapy |
| Palliative Care | Improving quality of life, by providing support and controlling unpleasant symptoms |
| Pathologist | A doctor who specialises in making a diagnosis by examining tissue (cells) under a microscope |
| Radiologist | A doctor who uses scans and X-rays to diagnose and treat disease |
| Radiotherapy | Treatment using X-rays to shrink a cancer |
| Small Intestine | Small bowel, part of which is called the ileum |
| Stoma | An artificial opening in the tummy wall through which stool is passed into a bag |
| Stoma Care Nurse (Specialist) | A senior nurse who is an expert at caring for stomas |
| Tenesmus | A persistent urge to empty the bowel |
| Tumour | Growth, swelling |