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abdomen
largest body cavity that contains the stomach, small intestines, colon, rectum, liver, spleen, pancreas, gall bladder, kidneys and appendix

anemia
decrease in the normal level of red blood cells in the bloodstream

benign
not cancerous; does not spread to other parts of the body, the opposite of malignant

bile duct

tube that carries bile from the gallbladder to the duodenum

chemotherapy
treatment of cancer with anti-cancer drugs

colorectal
relating to the colon and the rectum

digestive tract
group of organs in the body that together provide digestive function, consists of the mouth, the pharynx, the oesophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine and the anus

falciform ligament

band of strong fibrous tissue that connects the right lobe and the left lobe of the liver

gastrointestinal system
consists of the oesophagus, stomach, liver, small and large intestines

haemoglobin
a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body

hepatic artery
blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood to the liver from the heart

hepatic portal vein
blood vessel that carries oxygen-poor blood from the liver back to the heart

inferior vena cava
large vein that returns blood to the heart from all of the organs below the diaphragm

intraarterially

injected into an artery

intravenously
injected into a vein

jaundice
yellow discoloration of the skin, the whites of the eyes and the mucous membranes caused by an excess of bile in the blood

malignant
cancerous; cancer cells that may spread to other parts of the body

metastases
cancer cells that have spread from a primary site to another location in the body

metastatic
adjective used to describe cancer cells that have spread from a primary site somewhere else in the body

oncologist
physician specialising in the treatment of cancer

pallative
the process of relieving the symptoms of disease without curing it, the act of making the patient more comfortable

primary tumour
the first mass of cancer cells to develop in the body

radiation oncologist
physician specialising in the use of radiation therapy to treat cancer

radiation therapy
treatment that uses x-rays to kill cancer cells; also called radiotherapy

radioactivity
release of alpha and beta particles and gamma rays when atoms of one element change to atoms of another element

radiologist
physician specialising in making and interpreting pictures of the inside of the body

resectable
surgical removal of a section of an organ is a feasible option

resection
surgical removal of a section of an organ

sonographer
technician who specialises in the operation of ultrasound equipment

unresectable

surgical removal of a section of an organ is not a feasible option

vasculature

relating to the vessels that carry blood throughout the body

x-rays
acute invisible high-frequency electromagnetic waves that can penetrate certain substances like skin

This glossary is designed to give you an
A - Z
of terms related to secondary liver cancer