| A | B |
|---|
| allergist | specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions of altered immunologic reactivity such as allergic reactions |
| hematologist | specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the blood and blood-forming tissues |
| immunologist | specialist in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the immune system |
| oncologist | specialist in diagnosing and treating malignant disorders such as tumors and cancer |
| immun | protected |
| ologist | specialist |
| onc | tumor |
| functions of lymphatic system | absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive systema dn transport them to the cells; return cellular waste products and excess fluid from the tissues to the circulatory system; serve as part of the immune system |
| intercellular fluid ((tissue fluid) (interstitial fluid) | plasma that flows out of the capillaries of the circulatory system into the spaces between the cells which carries food, oxygen, and hormones to the cells |
| lymph fluid (lymph) | intercellular fluid as it returns to the venous circulatory system; removes waste products from the cells; must be filtered by the lymph nodes before it reenters the circulatory system |
| lymph capillaries | microscopic thin-walled tubes located just under the skin carry lymph fluid from the tissues to the larger lymnphatic vessels |
| lymphatic vessels | have valves to prevent the backward flow of fluid; lymph always flows toward the thoracic cavity |
| right lymphatic duct and the throacic duct | empty lymph into veins in the upper thoracic region |
| lacteals | specialized lymph capillaries located in the villi of the small intestine where fats and fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed and carried into the bloodstream |
| lymph nodes | bean-shaped structures located in lymph vessels that provide a site for lymphocyte production; filter lymph to remove harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, and malignant cells |
| swollen lymph nodes | indicate a disease process |
| tonsils | masses of lymphatic tissue that form a protective ring around the nose and upper throat |
| cervical lymph nodes | located in the neck |
| axillary lymph nodes | located under the arms |
| inguinal lymph nodes | located in the inguinal (groin) area of the lower abdomen |
| vermiform appendix | lymphatic tissue that hangs from the lower portion of the cecum of the large intestine |
| Peyer's patches | small bundles of lymphatic tissue located on the walls of the ileum of the small intestine |
| spleen | saclike mass of lymphatic tissue located in the LUQ of the abdomen inferior to the diaphragm and posterior to the stomach |
| spleen | filters microorganisms and other foreign material from the blood; forms lymphocytes and monocytes; hemolytic; stores extra RBC and maintains the appropriate balance between the RBC and plasma in the circulation |
| hemolytic | removes and destroys worn-out RBCs |
| Thymus | located superior to the heart;composed of lymphatic tissue; plays important roles in the endocrine and immune system |
| Lymphadenitis (swollen glands) | inflammation of the lymph nodes |
| lymphaden | lymph node |
| Lymphadenopathy | any disease process usually involving enlargement of the lymph nodes |
| Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) | continued presence of enlarged lymph nodes; often an indication of the presence of a malignancy or deficiency in immune system function |
| lymphangiogram | radiographic study of the lymphatic vessels and nodes with the use of a contrast medium to make the structures visible |
| lymphangioma | benign abnormal collection of lymphatic vessels forming a mass |
| Lymphedema | abnormal accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes swelling usually in the arms or legs |
| Primary lymphedema | hereditary disorder; may occur at any time in life; can affect any limbs |
| Secondary lymphedema | caused by identifiable factors such as the surgical removal or radiation of the lymph nodes in the treatment of cancer which affects the limb nearest the treatment |
| Splenomegaly | enlargement of the spleeen |
| Splenorrhagia | bleeding from the spleen |
| Functions of the immune system | to protect the body from harmful substances including pathogens, allergens, toxins, and malignant cells |
| First role of the immune system | to prevent foreign substances from entering the body |
| Intact skin | wraps the body in a physical barrier that prevents invading organisms from entering the body |
| intact | no cuts, scrapes, or open sores |
| Respiratory system | traps breathed-in foreign matter with nose hairs and the moist mucous membranes that line the respiratory system; coughing and sneezing help expel foreign matter from the respiratory system |
| Digestive system | uses the acids and enzymes produced by the stomach to destroy invaders that are swallowed or consumed with food |
| lymphatic system | essential components in fighting invaders once they have entered the body |
| First lines of defense | 1. intact skin, 2. respiratory system, 3. digestive system, 4. lymphatic system |
| antigen | any substance such as a virus, bacterium, toxin, or tissue that the body regards as foreign; antigens stimulate an immune response |
| antibody (Ab) | disease-fighting proteincreated by the immune system in response to the presence of that specific antigen |
| antigen-antibody reaction (immune reaction) | binding these foreign antigens to antibodies to rorm antigen-antibody complexes which tags the potentially dangerous antigen so that it can be recognized and destroyed by other cells of the immune system |
| Lymphocytes | WBCs that specialize so they can attack specific microorganisms; formed in bone marrow as stem cells |
| 2 major classes of lymphocytes | B cells and T cells |
| B cell (B lymphocyte) | designed to make only one specific antibody against a specific antigen; are most effective against viruses and bacteria circulating in the blood |
| Immunoglobulin | synonym for antibody |
| Plasma cells | produce and secrete antibodies coded to match the antigen which enables the body to destroy the antigen in the antigen-antibody response |
| Complement | complex series of proteins that normally circulate in the blood in an inactive form; activated on contact with an antigen; aid the antibodies by puncturing the cell membrane of the antigen (these proteins "complement" the work of antibodies in destroying bacteria) |
| T cells (T lymphocytes) | small circulating lymphocytes that have traveled to the thymus; mature as a result of their exposure to thymosin (hormone secreted by the thymus) |
| T cells contribute to the immune defense in 2 major ways: | 1. Regulatory T celss coordinate immune defenses; 2. Cytotoxic T cells kill infected cells on contact |
| Interferon | produced by the T cells; family of proteins released by cells when invaded by a virus; causes the non-infected cells to form an intiviral protein that slows or stops viral multiplication; grouped into 3 categories: 1. alpha, 2. beta, and 3. gamma |
| Lymphokines | produced by the T cells; direct the immune response by signaling between the cells of the immune system; attract macrophages to the infected site and prepare them to attack |
| macrophage | type of phagocyte; protects the body by ingesting (eating) invading cells and by interacting with the other cells of the immune system |
| phagocyte | large WBC that can ingest (eat) and destroy substances such as cell debris, dust, pollen, and pathogens |
| Immunity | state of being resistant or not susceptible to a specific disease |
| Natural immunity | passed from mother to fetus before birth (immediately after birth, additional immunity is passed from mother to child thru breast milk |
| Acquired immunity | obtained by the development of antibodies during an attack of an infectious disease |
| Artificial immunity (immunization) | immunity that was acquired thru vaccination |
| Immune system response factors | 1. health, 2. age, 3. heredity |
| opportunistic infection | pathogen that normally does not cause disease but is able to caluse illness in a weakened host whose resistance has been decreased by a different disorder |
| allergy (hypersensitivity) | overreaction by the body to a particular antigen; occurs when the body's immune system reacts to a harmless allergen as if it were a dangerous invader (pollen, food, or animal dander are examples) |
| cellular response (localized or delayed allergic response) | body does not react the first time it is exposed to the allergen but sensitivity is established and future contacts cause symptoms that include itching, erythema, and large hives |
| systemic reaction (anaphylaxis) | severe response to a foreign substance such as a drug, food, insect venom, or chemical; symptoms develop very quickly and include swelling, blockage of air passages, and a drop in BP |
| scratch test | diagnostic test to identify commonly troublesome allergens such as tree pollen and ragweed; swelling and itching indicate an allergic reaction |
| Antihistamines | medications administered to block and control allergic reactions |
| autoimmune disorder | condition where the immune system misreads normal antigens and creates antibodies and direcgts T cells against the body's own tissues; appear to be genetically transmitted; affect most body systems; 75% occurmost frequently in women during the childbearing years |
| immunodeficiency disorder | condition that occurs when one or more parts of the immune system are deficient or missing |
| immune system weakened | compromised |
| human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | bloodborne pathogen that invades and then progressively impairs or kills cells of the immune system |
| Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) | advanced stages of an HIV infection |
| ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) | blood test used to screeen for the presence of HIV antibodies; may produce a false-positive result |
| Western blot test | used when the results of the ELISA test are positive; performed to confirm the diagnosis of HIV; detects the presence of specific viral proteins; produces more accurate results |
| immunotherapy | treatment of disease either by enhancing or repressing the immune response |
| synthetic immunoglobulins (immune serum | used as a postexposure preventive measure against certain viruses including rabies and some types of hepatitis |
| synthetic interferon | used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and some cancers |
| monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) | antibodies produced in the lab; used in lab research, medical tests, and the treatment of some non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, melanoma, and breast and colon cancers |
| Immunosuppression | treatment used to interfere with the ability of the immune system to respond to stimulation by antigens |
| immunosuppressant | drug that prevents or reduces the body's normal reactions to invasion by disease or by foreign tissues; are used to prevent the rejection of donor tissue or to depress autoimmune disorders |
| corticosteroid drug | hormone-like preparation used primarily as an anti-inflammatory and as an immunosuppressant |
| cytotoxic drug | kills or damages cells; used as an immunosuppressant and as an antineoplastic |
| antineoplastic | blocks the growth of neoplasms and is used to treat cancer |
| pathogen | microorganism that causes a disease |
| microorganism | living organism that is so small it can be seen only with the aid of a microscope |
| bacteria | group of one-celled microscopic organisms |
| bacilli | rod-shaped sporte-forming bacteria; examples: tetanus and TB |
| rickettsia | small bacterium that lives in lice, fleas, ticks, and mites; example: Rocky Mountain spotted fever |
| Spirochetes | spiral-shaped bacteria that have flexible walls and are capable of movement; example: Lyme disease |
| Staphylococci | bacteria that form irregular groups or clusters; example: Bacterial pneumonia |
| Streptococci | bacteria that form a chain; example: pharyngitis or strep throat |
| fungus | simple parasitic plant; example: Aspergillosis |
| Yeast | caused by the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans; is an infection of the skin or mucous membranes |
| parasite | plant or animal that lives on or within another living organism at the expense of that organism; example: Malaria |
| Viruses | very small infectious agents that live only by invading cells |
| Chickenpox (varicella or VZV) | acute highly contagious viral disease that is characterized by fever and pustules; caused by the herpes virus Varicella zozter and is transmitted by respiratory droplets or direct contact with sores |
| Cytomegalovirus (CMV) | infection caused by a group of large herpes-type viruses with a wide variety of disease effects |
| Herpes Zoster (shingles) | acute viral infection characterized by painful skin eruptions that follow the underlying route of the inflamed nerve; remains dormant in a nerve, and is reactivated years later when the immune system is compromised |
| Infectious mononucleosis | caused by the Epstein -Barr virus; characterized by fever, sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes |
| Measles | acute, highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets; characterized first by the appearance of Koplik's spots and then followed by a spreading skin rash |
| Koplik's spots | small red spots with blue-white centers that appear on the lining of the mouth |
| Mumps | acute viral disease characterized by the swelling of the parotid glands |
| Rabies | acute viral infection that may be transmitted to humans by the blood, tissue, or saliva of an infected animal |
| Rubella (German measles or 3-day measles) | viral infection characterized by fever and a diffuse, fine, red rash; if the mother has rubella during the early stages of pregnancy, the disease may cause congenital abnormalities in the infant |
| antibiotic | chemical substance capable of inhibiting growth or killing pathogenic microorganisms |
| bactericide | substance that causes the death of bacteria primarily penicillins and cephalosporins |
| bacteriostatic | agent that inhibits, slows, or retards the growth of bacteria primarily tetracyclines, sulfonamides, and erythromycin |
| antiviral drug | used to treat viral infections or to provide temporary immunity; example: acyclovir |
| Oncology | study of the prevention, causes, and treatment of tumors and cancer |
| cancer | used to describe over 200 different kinds of malignancies; attacks all body systems and is the second leading cause of death in the US; most cancers are named for the part of the body where the cancer first starts |
| tumor (neoplasm) | new and abnormal tissue formation; can be either benign or malignant; multiplication of cells is uncontrolled, more rapid than normal, and progressive |
| angiogenesis | where a tumor supports its growth by creating its own blood supply |
| Antiangiogenesis | form of treatment being developed that will cut off this blood supply to the tumor |
| Benign | not recurring, nonmalignant, and with a favorable chance for recovery;can cause problems to adjacent structures |
| myoma | benign neoplasm made up of muscle tissue |
| Malignant | harmful, tending to spread, becoming progressively worse, and life threatening; tend to spread to distant body sites |
| carcinoma in situ (CIS) | malignant tumor in its original position that has not yet distrubed or invaded the surrounding tissues |
| invasive malignancy | grows and spreads into healthy adjacent tissue |
| Metastasize | verb that describes the process by which cancer spreads from one place to another; the cancer starts at the primary site and spreads to a secondary site |
| metastasis | new cancer site that results from the spreading process |
| Staging | process of classifying tumors with respect to how far the disease has progressed, the potential for its responding to therapy, and the pt's prognosis |
| carcinoma (CA or Ca) | malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue; tend to infiltrate and produce metastases that may affect any organ or part of the body |
| adenocarcinoma | any one of a large group of carcinomas derived from glandular tissue |
| sarcoma | malignant tumor that arises from connective tissue; tissues affected are bones, bladder, kidneys, liver, lungs, muscles, and spleen |
| hard-tissue sarcomas | arise from bone or cartilage; is a malignant tumor usually involving the upper shaft of long bones, the pelvis, or knee; example: osteosarcoma |
| Soft-tissue sarcomas | arise from tissues such as fat, musscle, and nerves; is a malignant tumor derived from muscle tissue; example: myosarcoma |
| Kaposi's sarcoma | opportunistic infection frequently associated with HIV; may affect the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and internal organs |
| Lymphoma | general term applied to malignancies that develop in the lymphatic system; two most common types are Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma |
| Hodgkin's disease (Hodgkin's lymphoma or HL) | distinguished by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells; are large cancerous lymphocytes that are identified by microscopic examination of a biopsy specimen taken from an enlarged lymph node |
| Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) | used to describe all lymnphomas other than Hodgkin's lymphoma; cells of the lymphatic system divide and grow without any order or control which causes tumors to develop in different locations on the body and these cancer cells also spread to other organs |
| blastoma | neoplasm composed chiefly or entirely of immature undifferentiated cells |
| neruoblastoma | sarcoma of nervous system origin |
| retinoblastoma | malignant tumor of childhood arising from cells of the retina of the eye and usually occurring before the third year of life |
| breast cancer | malignant tumor that develops from the cells of the breast and may spread to adjacent lymph nodes and other body sites |
| types of breast cancer | IDC (invasive ductal carcinoma) which starts in the milk duct, breaks through the wall of that duct, and invades fatty breast tissue and accounts for the majority of all breast cancer; DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) is breast cancer at its earliest stage (stage 0) before the cancer has broken through the wall of the duct and has a cure rate of nearly 100 percent; invasive lobular carcinoma or infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) which starts in the milk glands (lobules, breaks through the wall of the gland, and invades the fatty tissue of the breast; Male breast cancer which occurs in males |
| Detection of breast cancer | BSE, mammograms, professional palpation, biopsy |
| biopsy | removal of tissue to confirm a diagnosis |
| treatment of breast cancer | based on the stage of the cancer; surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, brachytherapy, teletherapy |
| Surgery of the breast | lumpectomy (surgical removal of only the cancerous tissue and a margin or rim of normal tissue; mastectomy (surgical removal of an entire breast; modified radical mastectomy (surgical removal of the entire breast and axillary lymph nodes under the adjacent arm |
| Chemotherapy | use of chemical agents and drugs in combinations selected to effectively destroy malignant cells and tissues |
| Radiation therapy | treatment of cancers through the use of x-rays |
| Brachytherapy | use of radioactive materials in contact with, or implanted into the tissues to be treated |
| Teletherapy | radiation therapy administered at a distance from the body |
| cytotechnologist | clinical laboratory technologist who examines human cell samples under a microscope for signs of cancer |
| Lymphedema therapist | provides decongestive lymphatic therapy, including skin care, manual lymphatic massage, bandaging, exercises, and instruction in self-care to lymphedema pts |
