1. Unit 3 Oncology and the Central Nervous System
Medical Terminology
Unit 3
Oncology and the Central Nervous System

2. Prefix Hyper- Above or more than normal Hypercritical
Hypercholesterolemia
Hypertoxicity
Hyperflexion
Hyperactivity
Hyperlipidemia
Hyperproteinuria

3. Prefix Hypo- Below or less than normal Hypocalcemia Hypodactylia
Hyposensitive
Hypothermia
Hypokalemia
Hypothyroidism
Hypodermic

4. More Examples Hypertrophy Hypertension Hyperemesis
Overdevelopment
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Hyperemesis
Excessive vomiting
Hypotrophy (atrophy)
Progressive degeneration
Hypotension
Low blood pressure

5. Aden/o
“glands”
Adenitis
Adenectomy
Adenoma
Adenopathy
Lymphadenopathy

6. Skin Lesions
Lesion = One of many possible types of abnormal tissue conditions
Ulcer = Open sores on the skin or mucous membranes
Tumor = Abnormal growth in numbers and/or types of cells. May be benign or malignant (cancerous)

7. Benign vs. Malignant Benign Malignant -oma Carcinoma/-carcinoma
From epithelial-type tissue
Sarcoma/-sarcoma
From connective-type tissue
Carcin/o = “crab”
= Cancer
CA or Ca

8. Benign vs. Malignant Adenoma Papilloma fibroadenoma Adenocarcinoma
Melanoma (Malignant Melanoma)
Exception to pattern
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma

9. Skin Cancers
Melanoma Basal Cell Carcinoma

10. Benign vs. Malignant Osteoma Chondroma Leiomyoma Lipoma Hemangioma
Neuroma
Atheroma
Osteosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Liposarcoma
Angiosarcoma
Neurosarcoma
Lymphosarcoma

11. Lipoma

12. Exceptions Sound like benign but are malignant:
Melanoma (Malignant melanoma)
Myeloma (Multiple Myeloma)
Lymphoma
Leukemia

13. Metastasis Metastasis Singular Noun Metastases Plural Noun
Metastatic Adjective
Metastasize(d) Verb
Meta- = beyond -stasis = in one place
Spreading beyond the original place
Met, Metas, Mets

14. Plural Formation -oma  omata Lipoma  Lipomata Sarcoma  Sarcomata
Atheroma  Atheromata
Adenoma  Adenomata
Melanoma  Melanomata

15. Onc/o = Tumor
From Greek word oncos = mass
Oncology
Oncologist

16. -oid
Means like or resembling
Lipoid
mucoid

17. Ather/o Means fatty or porridgelike
Atheroma = tumorlike thickening and degeneration of blood vessel walls caused by fatty deposits

18. Atherosclerosis = hardening of vessel walls due to fatty deposits
Be careful:
Ather/o = fatty, porridgelike
Arteri/o = arteries
Arthr/o = joint

19. Hist/o Means tissue Histolysis = destruction of tissue
Histogenous = made of tissue
Histology = the study of tissue
Histologist = one who studies tissues

20. Hist/o An Embryonic tissue A tissue cell Resembling tissue Histoblast
Histocyte
Histoid

21. Neo- Greek neos mean new Neogenesis = generation of new substance
Neonatal = refers to the newborn
Neoplasm = new formation, tumor or growth
Plasm/o = formation
A nonmalignant tumor is called a benign neoplasm
Carcinoma or sarcoma are malignant neoplasm

22. Anti- is a Prefix meaning against
-plast/ic is an adjective suffix for abnormal growth
Antineoplastic is a therapeutic agent that works against cancerous neoplasms
-genesis refers to development.
Antitumorigenesis = the process of inhibiting development of a tumor

23. Mucosa & Serosa Muc/us = secretion of the mucous membrane
Noun: Muc/us adjective: Muc/ous
Mucosa = mucous membrane
Lining of the open body cavities, like digestive system
Ser/ous
Serosa = serous membrane
Lining of the closed body cavities. Covers the outside of organs such as the intestines

24. Cephal = Head Headache (pain in head) Cephalic Noun Adjective
Cephal/algia (-algia = pain)
Cephalgia
Cephal/o/dynia (Odyne, -odynia = pain)
Adjective
Cephal/o/dynic
Cephalic
Adjective: Pertaining to the head

25. Encephal = Brain Encephal/itis: inflammation of the brain
Encephal/o/cele: Herniation of brain tissue through cranial fissure
Kele or –cele = abnormal protrusion or swelling
Brain herniation is sometimes a finding in hydrocephaly
Encephal/o/malac/ia: softening of brain tissue
Encephal/o/tomy: incision into the brain
Electr/o/encephal/o/gram (EEG): picture of the electrical activity of the brain

26. Brain

27. Crani/o = Skull Cranium = skull Cranioplasty: Surgical repair of skull
Craniomalacia: softening of the bones of the skull
Craniectomy: excision of part of the cranium
Craniotomy: incision into skull
Craniometer: instrument used to measure the cranium
Cranial (Adjective)

28. Cerebr = Cerebrum Cerebrum is a part of the brain Cerebral (adjective)
Thought occurs
Feeling is interpreted
Motor impulses arise
“gray matter”
Cerebral (adjective)

29. Cerebr = Cerebrum Cerebr/itis Cerebr/oma Cerebr/otomy
Cerebr/o/vascul/ar
Cerebr/o/spin/al

30. Mening/o = Meninges
Meninges are 3-layered membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord.
Pia mater, arachnoid, dura mater
Mening/o/cele: herniation of meninges
Mening/o/malac/ia: softening of the meninges
Mening/itis: inflammation of the meninges
Caused by bacteria or virus

31. Meninges

32. Abbreviation AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
ASCP American Society of Clinical Pathology
BX Biopsy
BCC Basal cell carcinoma
BP Blood pressure
Ca, CA Calcium, Cancer
CIS Carcinoma in situ
CLA Certified laboratory assistant
CP Cerebral palsy
CSF Cerebralspinal fluid
CV Cardiovascular

33. Abbreviation CVA Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
EEG Electroencephalogram
END Electroneurodiagnostic
ENG Electronystaygraphy
EP Evoked Potential
HA Headache
HCVD Hypertensive Cardiovascular disease
MBD Minimal brain dysfunction
Met., metas., mets. Metastasis
MLT Medical laboratory technician

34. Abbreviation mmHG millimeters of mercury (pressure)
MT Medical technologist
NCS Nerves Conduction Studies
PSG Polysomnography
TIA Transient ischemic attack