Glossary

Acetaminophen: A drug that reduces pain and fever (but not inflammation). It belongs to the family of drugs called analgesics.

Acute: Sudden or severe. Symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. The opposite of chronic.

Adjuvant: Treatment given in addition to the primary treatment to enhance the effectiveness of the primary treatment.

Adjuvant therapy: Treatment given in addition to the primary treatment to enhance the effectiveness of the primary treatment.

Adjuvant treatment: Treatment given in addition to the primary treatment to enhance the effectiveness of the primary treatment.

Aerobic exercise: Exercise that improves respiratory and circulatory function by increasing oxygen consumption.

Alopecia: The lack or loss of hair from areas of the body where hair is usually found. Alopecia can be a side effect of some cancer treatments.

Analgesic: A drug that reduces pain.

Anemia: A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal.

Anesthetic: A substance that causes loss of feeling or awareness. A local anesthetic causes loss of feeling in a specific part of the body into which the anesthetic has been applied or injected. A general anesthetic puts the person to sleep.

Antibody: A type of protein made by plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in response to an antigen (foreign substance). Each antibody can bind to only one specific antigen. The purpose of this binding is to help destroy the antigen. Antibodies can work in several ways, depending on the nature of the antigen. Some antibodies destroy antigens directly. Others make it easier for white blood cells to destroy the antigen.

Antigen: A foreign substance that activates the immune system by causing the body to form antibodies.

Anxiety: Feelings of fear, dread, and uneasiness that may occur as a reaction to stress. A person with anxiety may sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat. Extreme anxiety that happens often over time may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Autoimmunity: A condition in which a person's immune system starts reacting against his or her own tissues.