- Industry: Government
- Number of terms: 33950
- Number of blossaries: 0
- Company Profile:
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Radiation Emergency Medical Management
A substance that kills bacteria or stops them from growing and causing disease.
Industry:Health care
A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms.
Industry:Health care
A substance that is made from a living organism or its products and is used in the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer and other diseases. Biological drugs include antibodies, interleukins, and vaccines. Also called biologic agent and biological agent.
Industry:Health care
A protein made by plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in response to an antigen (a substance that causes the body to make a specific immune response). Each antibody can bind to only one specific antigen. The purpose of this binding is to help destroy the antigen. Some antibodies destroy antigens directly. Others make it easier for white blood cells to destroy the antigen.
Industry:Health care
A chemical made by some types of nerve cells. It is used to send messages to other cells, including other nerve cells, muscle cells, and gland cells. It is released from the nerve ending and carries signals to cells on the other side of a synapse (space between nerve cells and other cells). Acetylcholine helps control memory and the action of certain muscles. It is a type of neurotransmitter.
Industry:Health care
Treatment with an antibody, a substance that can directly kill specific tumor cells or stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells.
Industry:Health care
A toxin made by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It can cause food poisoning. The drug Botox is a form of the toxin that can be used in small amounts to treat certain medical conditions. These include severe underarm sweating and severe muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders. Botox is also used to smooth wrinkles on the face. It is being studied in the treatment of pain in patients with skin leiomyomas (benign smooth muscle tumors) and other conditions. Also called botulinum toxin A and botulinum toxin type A.
Industry:Health care
Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer, infections, and other diseases. Also used to lessen certain side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. Agents used in biological therapy include monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, and vaccines. These agents may also have a direct antitumor effect. Also called biological response modifier therapy, biotherapy, BRM therapy, and immunotherapy.
Industry:Health care
Cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment.
Industry:Health care
The removal of cells or tissues for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist may study the tissue under a microscope or perform other tests on the cells or tissue. There are many different types of biopsy procedures. The most common types include: (1) incisional biopsy, in which only a sample of tissue is removed; (2) excisional biopsy, in which an entire lump or suspicious area is removed; and (3) needle biopsy, in which a sample of tissue or fluid is removed with a needle. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Industry:Health care