357 results found for "Tumor"
47 XXY syndrome is popularly known as the Klinefelter's syndrome, or simply, the XXY syndrome. Chromosome aneuploidy causes the occurrence of this condition. The male patients develop an extra X chromosome. Typically, males should have one each of the X and the Y chromosomes. Patients who suffer from this condition have smaller testicles when compared to their normal male counterparts and thus, they acquire problems on infertility. There are very few symptoms to this syndrome and the cases vary among boys and men. The term for this illness was named after an endocrinologist, Harry Klinefelter. 1942 was the year when he first described the XXY syndrome. The patients who suffer with XXY syndrome are called XXY males or 47,XXY males. [read more]
Cystic lymphangioma is a very rare tumor (comprises just about 6% of tumors that are benign in children) which is often located in the axillary or cervical regions. Sometimes, there are exceptional cases where it is situated in the abdomen. When it is situated in the abdomen, it becomes a rare type of benign tumor which often appears in infants and some children under the age of 5. Boys are more vulnerable to this disease. Abdominal cystic lymphangioma happens when there is an inborn defect in the link of central connecting structure and the primary lymphatic channel. This manifests in abdominal tumors which could occur even without any compression from structures that are adjacent to that part. When clinically tested, these cysts appear as pseudo appendices or pseudo-ascites syndrome. [read more]
Abscess is a collection of pus or dead neutrophils that has mount up in a cavity made by the tissue on the basis of an infectious process or other foreign materials. [read more]
Abscess, bartholin (Bartholin's abscess) is characterized by the accumulation of pus that results in the formation of a lump or swelling in one of the Batholin glands, which are located on each side of the vaginal opening. [read more]
The deficiency or absence of T lymphocytes is a rare immuno-deficiency condition which is characterized by the lack of CD8(+) T lymphocytes and the absence or depression of the function of the T cell. A mutation of the gene for ZAP-70 (tyrosine kinase which has notable effects on indicating through the T cell receptor) has been associated with this syndrome. T cells are cells that belong to a cluster of white blood cells which are known as the lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are responsible in cell-mediated immunity. They are distinguished from the other types of lymphocytes (the NK cells and the B cells) through the presence of a specific receptor on the surface of these cells. This receptor is called as T cell receptor or the TCR. The T abbreviation in T cell refers to thymus which is the primary organ in the development of the T cell. [read more]
Acoustic neuroma also known as a vestibular schwannoma is a primary intracranial tumor that is benign. This is a tumor of the cells that form myelin of the CN VIII or vestibulocochlear nerve. Neuroma is a derivation of a Greek word which means ?tumor of the nerve'. The name ?acoustic' is a misnomer because the tumor hardly occurs from the cochlear or acoustic part of the vestibulocochlear nerve. The precise medical name is vestibular schwannoma. This is because it engages the vestibular part of the eighth cranial nerve and it occurs from schwann cells (the cells that are responsible for the peripheral nervous system myelin sheath). [read more]
Acoustic neuroma is a medical condition that is characterized by the growth of a tumor that usually develops in nerves near the ear. is a benign, usually slow-growing tumor that develops from certain nerves in the inner ear. No one knows exactly what causes acoustic neuroma. As an acoustic neuroma develops, it presses against the nerves related to balance and hearing, causing early symptoms such as: one-sided or high-tone hearing loss, ringing in the ear, dizziness, and problems with balance. Once a diagnosis of acustic neuroma is made, the doctor can describe the available treatment options. [read more]
Acromegaly was derived from the Greek word ?akros' meaning ?extremities' or ?extreme' and ?megalos' which means ?large'. This is a syndrome which results as the pituitary gland has an overproduction of hGH or growth hormone following the closure of the epiphyseal plate. There are several disorders that could cause the pituitary gland to come up with this circumstance. Most of these conditions involve a tumor that produces GH which is derived from a distinctive cell type (called somatotrophs) and named pituitary adenoma. [read more]
Adenocarcinoma of the lung (or lung cancer) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both women and men in the United States and throughout the world. Lung cancer has beaten breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. In 2007, 160,390 people were projected to die from lung cancer in the United States, which is more than the number of deaths from colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer combined. Only about 2% of those diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread to other areas of the body are living five years after the diagnosis, although the survival rates for lung cancers diagnosed at a very early stage are higher, with approximately 49% surviving for five years or longer. Cancer arises when normal cells undergo a transformation that causes them to grow and multiply without the normal controls. The cells form a mass or tumor that varies from the surrounding tissues from which it arises. Tumors are dangerous because they take nutrients, oxygen, and space from healthy cells. [read more]
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon form of malignant neoplasm that develops within secretory glands, most commonly the major and minor salivary glands of the head and neck. Other sites of origin include the trachea, lacrimal gland, skin, breast, and vulva. This neoplasm is defined by its characteristic histologic appearance. Adenoid cystic cancer (AdCC) is a very rare type of cancer that can develop in many different body sites. It most often arises in the areas of the head and neck, in particular the salivary glands; but has also been reported in the breast, lacrimal gland of the eye, lung, brain, bartholin gland, and the trachea. It is sometimes known as adenocyst, adenocystic, malignant cylindroma, adenoidcystic, ACC, AdCC. [read more]
Adenoma is characterized as a collection ogu growth that is glandular in origin. Adenomas usually grow in major body organs such as the adrenal, pituitary, thyroid and colon. These growths are usually benign in nature but can progress into malignant over. While it can be ntbenign, it can also present some potentially serious complications by mass effect and production of large volumes of hormones. [read more]
Adie syndrome, sometimes reffered to as Adie's Tonic Pupil or Holmes-Adies Syndrome is categorized as a neurological disorder that affects the autonomic nervous system and the pupil of the patient's eye. It causes damage to the postganglionic fibers of the eye that is usually brought about by bacterial or viral infection. [read more]
Adiposis dolorosa, is also known as Dercum's disease and Ander's disease, which is a type of a rare disease that is characterized by some multiple painful lipomas that usually arise in adult life. Among the individuals commonly afflicted with this disease are those who are also battling with obesity and occurs on both men and women. [read more]
Adrenal cancer is a very rare disease that begins in the patient's adrenal glands, which is located on the top section of the kidneys. The tumors can rapidly increase the production of hormones. The good news is about 99% of adrenal tumors are non-cancerous and would not normally require any form of treatment when small in size. It does not produce any detectable symptoms which is why patients diagnosed with this disorder find out about this condition purely by accident in other examination for completely unrelated diseases. [read more]
Adrenocortical carcinoma also called as ACC or adrenal cortical carcinoma and adrenal cortex cancer is a cancer that is aggressive which originates from the cortex (a tissue that produces steroid hormones) of the adrenal gland. Adrenocortical carcinoma is a tumor that is rare with an incidence of 1-2 in every 1,000,000 individuals annually. ACC has a bimodal allocation by age (most of the cases cluster among children that are under the age of 6 and in adults at 30-40 years of age). ACC can result into many syndromes such as Cushing's syndrome, virilization, Conn syndrome, and feminization. It also commonly metastizes or invades neighboring tissues and the survival rate is estimated at only 20-35%. [read more]
Aggressive fibromatosis is an unusual type of tumor that is locally persistent but not malevolent or malignant. Patient's symptoms will depend on the precise location and size of the tumor and also whether it reduces adjacent structures. [read more]
Alveolar soft part sarcoma or ?ASPS?, which was first identified in 1952, is an extremely rare type of soft tissue sarcoma, a slow-growing tumor that occurs mainly in children and young adults. ASPS is a highly angiogenic disease, which involves an intensive production of new blood vessels connecting the tumor to the blood and enabling dissemination of tumor cells into the bloodstream. Because of this, tumor cells can easily transfer into various parts of the body, usually affecting the brain and lungs. ASPS is a sarcoma that affects soft tissues that connects and supports organs and structures of the body. It usually develops in the deep soft tissues and muscles of the leg or thighs, but could also appear in hands, head and neck. However, it could also spread and develop inside bones. [read more]
Ambiguous genitalia is a very rare medical condition in which the external genitals of the newborn do not clearly appear if it's a male or female usually because it is not properly formed. This may cause serious social stigma and question to the baby's gender. In most cases, it is important to wait to determine to true gender of the child. [read more]
Amnestic Disorder, otherwise known as the Retrogade Amnesia, is a disorder where there unusually decline in memory function such as difficulty in recalling events that happened or facts that they know before the Amnestic Disorder. [read more]
Anal cancer is a type of cancer which arises from the anus, the distal orifice of the gastrointestinal tract. [read more]
Anal itching is characterized by an intense itching felt around the anus causing extreme discomfort. This medical condition is also called pruritus ani and can be caused by a number of irritants such as abrasion of the clothing, moisture or even pressure in sitting. [read more]
It is important to discuss lipoma to understand the nature of angiolipoma. Lipoma is a benign tumor composed of fatty tissues. These tumors are usually movable, soft to touch and painless. They could grow extremely slow and can sometimes be cancerous. Most types of lipomas are small, but can increase its size up to six centimeters. Lipoma usually occurs in adults aged 40 to 60, but could also appear in children. An estimated 1% of the global population suffers from lipoma. Lipomas are also seen in animals. They are found usually on older dogs, but lipomas can also occur in puppies. They appear in single or multiple. While these lipomas grow, they are usually benign. Malignant forms of lipoma in animals are extremely rare. [read more]
Angioma is a benign tumor, which is made up of small blood vessels. Angioma normally appears near or at the surface of the skin in any part of the body. However, Angiomas are usually not considered dangerous (depending on location). Some Angiomas are present as symptoms for other serious diseases, such as cirrhosis. When an angioma is removed, it is usually for cosmetic reasons. [read more]
Angiomatosis is a condition that refers to ?little knots? of capillaries in different organs. Angiomatosis tend to be defined, sponge-like, sharp tumors that are composed of dilated and large cavernous vascular spaces. Angiomatosis often appears in people with Sturge-Weber syndrome, Bacillary angiomatosis, Von-Hippel-Lindau disease and Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome. [read more]
Angiosarcoma is a cancerous tumor that develops from the blood vessels or lymphatic vessels. Such tumors could occur in any part of the body, but they mostly appear in the neck, head, legs and arms. [read more]
Anuria otherswise known as the Anuresis is a medical condition where there is inability to urinate because of the kidney failed to function or due to diseases like kidney stones. [read more]
Aphasia is a language disorder resulting from damage to segments of the brain that are responsible for language; usually on the left brain hemisphere. It often occurs all of a sudden usually as a result of stroke or head injury. In some cases, it progresses gradually. In both cases, the result is remarkable impairment in writing, reading, expression and language understanding [read more]
An apudoma is any endocrine tumor that arises from an APUD cell (APUD, meaning amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation) properties. These cells, which are derived from neural crest cells, are from structures such as the prostate, pancreas and ampulla of Vater. First identified in 1975, Apudoma is a very general term. As such, most doctors and scientists prefer to use a more specific term when possible, such as apudoma of gall bladder. [read more]
Arachnoidal Fibroblastoma, commonly known as Meningioma, is a tumor of the meninges, a part of the brain that protects the spinal cord and brain. This condition can develop in any part of the spinal cord or brain, but usually start in the cerebral hemispheres. Most Arachnoidal Fibroblastoma are benign, but malignant types of this condition occur. This condition accounts to one in every five brain tumors and is mostly found in middle-aged adults. [read more]
Astrocytoma is a major intracranial lumps resulting from astrocyte cells of the brain. In the the cerebral hemispheres, in the optic nerve, in the posterior fossa and seldom in the spinal cord is where it may appear. The WHO provided a four point level basing in the histological grade of the lump. [read more]
Ataxia telangiectasia is a main immunodeficiency disorder that happens in an anticipated occurrence of 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 300,000 births. Other term for this disorder is Louis-Bar syndrome or Boder-Sedgwick syndrome. It is a congenital progressive multi-system ailment. Initially it starts as progressive cerebellar ataxia the followed by conjunctive and cutaneous telangiectasias, immune deficiencies, and recurrent sinopulmonary infections in later stages. There is also a related 100-fold augmented mortality danger. Cerebellar atrophy is most outstanding in the part of vermis as well as augmented neighboring cerebrospinal spaces and prominent folia using MRI. [read more]
Atelectasis is the term used for the medical state in which there is a partial or complete lung collapse. When the lung collapses, air distribution is affected and this is the when the alveoli become deflated (distinct from pulmonary consolidation). Infant respiratory distress syndrome includes a different kind of atelectasis. [read more]
Atelectasis is described as a state in which the lung, in whole or in part, is collapsed or without air. It is a condition where the alveoli are deflated, as distinguished from pulmonary consolidation. Infant respiratory distress syndrome includes another type of atelectasis, and is distinguished and discussed in its own article. [read more]
Atrial myxoma a tumor that is not cancerous located in the upper left or right portion of the heart. It develops on the wall that divides the two sides of the heart. The familial type of the condition also includes tumors in several parts of the body like in the skin. [read more]
B-cell lymphoma, also known as Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is a heterogenous group of lymphoproliferative malignancies with varying patterns of behavior and responses to treatment. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a heterogenous group of lymphoproliferative malignancies with varying patterns of behavior and responses to treatment. NHL usually originates in the lymphoid tissues and can spread to other internal organs. However, unlike Hodgkin's disease, NHL is less predictable and has a greater predilection to extranodal sites. [read more]
Bacillary angiomatosis (BA) is a bacterial disease brought about by two kinds of bacteria under the Bartonella family: Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana. The infection is usually characterized by tumor-like lesions in the skin and other internal organs of the body, and can manifest in people affected by AIDS. [read more]
Back pain is a relatively common complaint characterized by a painful sensation in the patient's back that may be attributed to a number of conditions. [read more]
Basal cell cancer is a frequently occurring type of skin cancer. However, it is also the most easy to treat and has the least likelihood of spreading. In general, basal cell cancer is seldom fatal; however, if untreated, it can cause widespread damage to surrounding bones and tissues. [read more]
Basal cell carcinoma most usual form of skin cancer and it can be damaging and disfiguring. The danger of growing BCC is elevated for persons with a family history of the illness and with an elevated increasing contact to UV light by means of sunlight or were uncovered to carcinogenic chemicals, particularly arsenic in the past. [read more]
Beckwith-Wiedmann syndrome (BWS) is an inherited disorder that affects a person's normal growth development. [read more]
Bell's Palsy is a paralysis of the facial nerve which results to an inability to control facial muscles in the affected side. There are several conditions that can cause facial paralysis: brain tumor, stroke, and Lyme disease. However, if no specific cause can be traced to the paralysis, the condition is called Bell's Palsy. It is named after the Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it. Bell's palsy is the most common acute mononeuropathy, or diseases involving only one nerve, and is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paralysis. Bell's Palsy is defined as an idiopathic unilateral facial nerve paralysis, and is usually self-limiting. Its trademark is the rapid onset of partial or complete palsy, usually in a single day. [read more]
Benign astrocytoma (or astrocytoma Grade I, astrocytoma Grade II, intracranial neoplasm, intracranial tumor) is categorized into two types: Diffuse (Adults, cerebral hermisphere and brainstem) and circumscribed (Children, characteristic location/morphology). They are benign tumors that occur in the brain or spinal cord. Symptoms and severity of the astrocytoma depends on its location and size. [read more]
Benign intracranial hypertension (BIH), also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, is a neurological condition that consists of exaggerated brain pressure without the presence of tumors or edemas in the brain. [read more]
Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, also known as sarcoidosis, is a disease which can affect different organs inside the body. It causes the development of microscopic granulomas on the organs. These are masses resembling little tumors or look like grains of sugar or sand. They are made up of groups of cells from the immune system. These tiny granulomas can increase in size and number and clump together, making many large and small groups of lumps. If numerous granulomas form in an organ, they can affect how the organ functions. This can cause symptoms of Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease. [read more]
Bile duct cancer is a relatively rare carcinoma affecting the biliary tract. This type of cancer, also called cholangiocarcinomas, can also occur in several areas in and around the liver. [read more]
Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome is a rare disorder that affects the skin and lungs and heightens the risk of certain types of tumors. The condition is characterized by multiple noncancerous (or benign) skin tumors, particularly on the face, neck, and upper chest of the person. These growths typically first appear during a person's twenties or thirties and become larger in size and more numerous over time. Affected individuals also have a higher chance of developing cysts in their lungs and an abnormal accumulation of air in the chest cavity (pneumothorax) that may lead to the collapse of a lung. Additionally, people with Birt-Hogg-Dub? syndrome have a greater risk of developing cancerous or noncancerous kidney tumors and possibly tumors in other organs and tissues. [read more]
Bladder Cancer is a type of cancer occurring in the bladder, which is the organ in the pelvic region responsible for storing urine. Bladder cancer usually starts in the cells lining the inside of the bladder. [read more]
Bladder neoplasm (or bladder cancer) is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply and grow in number without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine and is located in the pelvis. The most common type of bladder cancer starts in cells lining the inside of the bladder and is called urothelial cell or transitional cell carcinoma (UCC or TCC). [read more]
Bladder Papilloma is a medical condition where there is a benign tumor that grows in the person's bladder which stores urine produced by the kidneys. [read more]
A blastoma is a type of cancer that is brough about by malignancies in precursor cells, often called blasts. It is a tumor thought to result from embryonic tissue. The term "blastoma" is generally used as part of the name for a tumor as, for examples, in glioblastoma and medulloblastoma (types of brain tumors), hepatoblastoma (a liver tumor), nephroblastoma ( Wilms tumor of the kidney), neuroblastoma (a childhood tumor of neural origin), osteoblastoma (a bone tumor) and retinoblastoma (a tumor of the retina). A blastoma is a neoplasm composed of immature and undifferentiated cells derived from the blastema of an organ or tissue. [read more]
Blindness is the condition of lacking vision which may be caused by physiological and neurological factors. The clinical term ?no light perception? often refers to total blindness. Severe visual impairment with residual vision is also interpretative to blindness. Individuals described to be having only ?light perception? are those who have loss sight and can only differentiate light from dark ? meaning they only have the capacity to pinpoint the direction where the light is coming from. [read more]
Blood pressure, high (high blood pressure) is characterized by an abnormally elevated amount of blood being pumped by the heart. Medically, high blood pressure is known as hypertension. [read more]
Bone Cancer is cancer originating in the bone and believed to be one of the rare types of cancer due to few reported incidence. There are different forms of bone cancer namely: osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma. Chondrosarcoma arise in the cartilage. Osteosarcoma occurs in growing bone tissue and Ewing's sarcoma starts in immature tissue of the bone marrow; occurring mostly in children and young individuals. [read more]
Bone neoplasm, or bone cancer, is when new abnormal bone tissue grows due to excessive cellular division and proliferation. The bone tissue develops more rapidly than normal and continues to grow even after the stimuli that initiated it stops. This includes tumors or cancer located in bone tissue or specific bones. [read more]
In medicine (neurology), bradykinesia means "slow movement". Its etymology is brady = slow, kinesia = movement. It is a feature of several of diseases, most notably Parkinson's disease and other disorders of the basal ganglia. Rather than being a slowness in initiation (related to hypokinesia) bradykinesia describes a slowness in the execution of movement. [read more]
Brain Infection is a medical condition where there is an infection in the brain. It is commonly called encephalitis. [read more]
Brain neoplasms are tumors of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are further divided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are categorized into benign and malignant forms. Generally, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain. [read more]
Brain Tumor is an abnormal growth of harmful cells in the brain; classified as either primary or secondary. Primary brain tumors originate in the brain can be benign or malignant. Secondary brain tumor originated in any are of the body and spread to the brain. [read more]
Breast Cancer is a malignant tumor that originated from the cells of the breast and the disease, most women fear most. [read more]
Brown-S?quard syndrome, also known as Brown-S?quard's hemiplegia and Brown-S?quard's paralysis, is a loss of motricity (paralysis and ataxia) and sensation as a result of the lateral hemisection of the spinal cord. Other names for the syndrome are crossed hemiplegia, hemiparaplegic syndrome, hemiplegia et hemiparaplegia spinalis and spinal hemiparaplegia. It is an incomplete spinal cord lesion characterized by a clinical picture reflecting hemisection of the spinal cord, often in the cervical cord region. It was initially described in the 1840s after Dr. Charles Edouard Brown-Sequard sectioned one half of the spinal cord. It is a rare syndrome, made up of ipsilateral hemiplegia with contralateral pain and temperature sensation deficits because of the crossing of the fibers of the spinothalamic tract. [read more]
Burkitt's lymphoma is categorized as a highly uncommon type of a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). This medical condition commonly affects children than in adults and is known to be a very aggressive kind of B-cell lymphoma that typically involves body parts other than the lymph nodes. However, in spite of its rapid-growing nature, Burkitt's lymphoma is usually very curable with the availability of modern intensive therapies. [read more]
A term used to describe a group of disorders in which calcium deposits from in the skin, Calcinosis cutis or cutaneous calcification may result from a variety of factors. Occurring in soft tissues as a response to injury, dystrophic calcification is the most common source of this disease. Classified into 4 major types namely dystrophic, metastatic, iatrogenic and idiopathic, there are also rare types of Calcinosis cutis that have been variably classified as dystrophic or idiopathic. Such include calcinosis cutis circumscripta, calcinosis cutis universalis, tumoral calcinosis, and transplant-associated calcinosis cutis. [read more]
Cancer is a group of diseases in which cells are hostile, invasive, and sometimes metastatic. These three are considered malignant properties of cancers that differentiate them from benign tumors. Although some benign tumor types are capable of being malignant, they are usually self-limited in their growth and don't invade or metastasize. People from all ages, even fetuses, may be affected with cancer but age is a factor that can raise the risks for more common varieties. About 13% of all deaths are caused by cancer and according to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in 2007 across the world. Even plants and animals may be affected by cancer. Abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells practically cause all cancers. Carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, chemicals, radiation or infectious agents may have caused said abnormalities. Some however, may be randomly acquired through errors in DNA replication or inherited. DNA methylation and microRNAs are new aspect of the genetics of cancer pathogenesis that are gaining importance. The tissues from which the cancerous cells originate are used as bases in classifying cancer. There are also two general classes of genes affected by cancer anmely the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. [read more]
Carcinoid syndrome points to the collection of symptoms that happen next to carcinoid tumors. Carcinoid tumors happen together along with gastrointestinal tract (GI) that are distinct, colored yellow and well-circumscribed tumors. The tumors usually affect the ileum, appendix and rectum and it is usually distinctive and endocrine in nature. The tumors produce hormones into the blood stream that go through to the end organs and operates then by proper receptors. Though it fairly unusual, out of 15 cases per 1,000,000 population carcinoid tumors report for 75% of GI endocrine tumors. [read more]
Carcinoid tumors pertain to rare growths of potentially cancerous masses in several areas of the body. They most commonly occur in the lungs and in the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach, appendix, small intestine, rectum, and colon. [read more]
Carcinoma, squamous cell is a type of cancer of the carcinoma that may happen in several diverse organs which includes the skin, mouth, lips, esophagus, urinary bladder, prostrate, lungs and cervix. It is a nasty squamous epithelium, epithelium that presents differentiation in squamous cell. [read more]
Carney complex (CNC) is characterized as a lentiginosis syndrome and familial multiple neoplasma. Patients with this medical condition are observed to have spotty skin pigmentation, multiple myxomas and tumors of the thyroid and endocrine glands. [read more]
Castleman's disease is considered an uncommon illness affecting the lymph nodes and the body's immune-cell structures. The disease is categorized as lymphoproliferative disorder; meaning it involves overgrowth or proliferation of the lymphatic cells. While it's similar to lymphatic system cancers in many ways, Castleman's disease is non-cancerous. It has two types: Unicentric that involves one site of tissue growths, and Multicentric involving multiple sites of growths. [read more]
Cavernous hemangioma is a harmless propagation of the blood vessels, wherein there is a formation of a tumor-like mass of blood vessels in the internal organs or the skin. This vascular tumor is composed of huge quantity of blood. The usual ?superficial? lesions have dark to bright red color; lesions that are deep are blue in color. This condition extends more intensely than capillary hemangioma, so spontaneous regression is less likely. [read more]
Central diabetes insipidus is the body's deficiency of the antidiuretic hormone, causing too much production of extremely dilute urine. It is uncommon, and involves intense thirst and over urination. The condition indicates the kidney's inability to balance urine concentration. [read more]
A cerebral aneurism occurs when the cerebral artery's wall weakens, causing the blood vessel to balloon abnormally and be filled with blood. This aneurism may put pressure on the tissue surrounding the brain, or the nearby nerves; it can also result in a rupture, called a brain hemorrhage. These can occur anywhere in the brain, but usually in the under part of the brain by the skull's base known as the Circle of Willis. When cerebral aneurisms are very small, they can go on without causing any problems. [read more]
A chemodectoma is a benign, non-chromaffin tumor that dwells in the carotid artery. Sometimes called as the non-chromaffin paraganglioma, chemodoctoma is usually found in the head and neck area. [read more]
A small non-cancerous, red-purple bump on the skin that is typically seen in older adults is called a cherry hemangioma, which is formed from an overgrowth of small veins. [read more]
Childhood disintegrative disorder or CDD is a condition that consists of a child's delayed development in social function, motor skills and language. It is also known as disintegrative psychosis or Heller's syndrome. It is similar to autism, but normal development is first seen before a sudden regression occurs. It is not easy to detect CDD on children during its early stages; the disorder would only be obvious when the child starts to lose his language skills. Some children seem to react to seizures and hallucinations, much to the surprise of their parents. This is often described as a devastating condition, since it affects the family's future. Child disintegrative disorder was first described by Thomas Heller in 1908. [read more]
Cholangiocarcinoma is a kind of cancer affecting the bile ducts. It is a rare form of cancer linked with other diseases such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, congenital liver dysfunction, and infection with liver flukes. [read more]
Chondroblastoma is a relatively rare but benign bone tumor which grows slowly in the affected part of a person's body. It comes from chondroblasts or cartilage cells and usually leads to the deterioration of muscles, extreme pain in the bones and immobility of the joint. When not treated, chondrolastoma may affect other organs particularly at the lungs. [read more]
A chondroma is a benign tumor with a lobular growth pattern. It is made up of tumor cells that produce the cartilaginous matrix, of amorphous, basophilic material. A chondroma has vascular axes within it, and is made up of cartilaginous cells. This tumor is commonly found on small bones in the hand or feet, as well as in tubular bones like the ribs, humerus and femur. [read more]
Chondrosarcoma is a kind of bone cancer that comes from the cartilage tissue. It affects mostly the pelvic area, femur, arm, humerus, ribs and spine. [read more]
Chordoma is a rare malignant neoplasm originating from the cellular sheddings of the notochord. The tumor thrives along the neuroaxis, and is commonly found at clivus and sacrum areas. It has three histological variants namely, classical, dedifferentiated, and chondroid. [read more]
Choriocarcinoma is a kind of malignant cancer under the group of gestational trophoblastic diseases (GTD). This cancer targets the placenta, and commonly attacks women, rather than men. [read more]
Chronic daily headaches are incessant head pains experienced daily occur at least 15 days a month, for more than three months. [read more]
Chronic myelogenous leukemia or CML is a rare kind of blood cell cancer. It is considered as chronic leukemia due to its slow progression pattern, sometimes over a period of years. CML isn't solid tumor that may be removed surgically. Fortunately, prognosis for individuals with CML might be improving due to new medications for treatment of the condition. [read more]
Coma is a state in which an individual is unconscious for a prolonged length of time due to a variety of problems such as a stroke, traumatic head injury, brain tumor, or an underlying illness such as an infection or diabetes. [read more]
Congenital mesoblastic nephroma is a type of tumor of the kidney that is usually detected before birth through ultrasound, typically during the first three months of fetal development. The tumor contains fibroblastic cells or the connective cell tissues and may continue to spread to the other kidney or neighboring tissues. This congenital disorder has been found to be more prevalent among males. [read more]
Conn's syndrome is an infection of the adrenal glands, wherein there is too much ?aldosterone' hormone secretion. The hormone is responsible for regulation of chief bodily functions, for instance blood pressure, correct electrolyte balance, and secondary water retention. The excessive secretion increases potassium loss and raises sodium re-absorption. The condition is also known as primary hyperaldosteronism. [read more]
An extremely rare disease with only 200 to 300 cases reported worldwide, Costello Syndrome is a genetic abnormality that slows down development and causes mental retardation. Patients share the same facial features, with loose skin and flexible joints, and are more prone to develop certain diseases like heart abnormalities, non-cancerous and cancerous tumors, and cell carcinoma. Individuals affected by this condition are relatively short and may possess lesser levels of growth hormones. [read more]
The genetic disorder Cowden's disease causes the tumor-like growths called hamartomas to develop on one's skin or mucous membranes. Noncancerous and small, this may also grow in various areas of the body including the intestinal tract. Patients with Cowden syndrome are much more likely to contact uterus cancer, breast cancer, and thyroid cancer. [read more]
Cyclic vomiting syndrome is a chronic vomiting disorder having no identified cause. It is most common in children ages 3-7 years which they will outgrow in teenage years. But since it is recurring, it can occasionally happen in adults as well. [read more]
Prolonged nighttime sleep or recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness are among the characteristics of Hypersomnia. [read more]
Dercum's disease is also known as Ander's disease or Adiposis dolorosa. It is a rare chronic disease associated with multiple painful fatty tissues during adult stage and usually affects obese women. [read more]
Dermatofibroma is a lesion or a dermal tumor, mostly benign, laid ot by fibroblasts. It is characterized by hard papules in different colors ranging from brown to tan. In some cases, Dermatofibroma can become itchy and tender. It is also believed to be a reaction of the skin to previous injuries. Some are rare malignant fibrohistocytic tumors whuch are usually deep penetrating. [read more]
Desmoid tumor is a tendon-like benign fibrous neoplasms. It originates from the musculoaponeurotic structures found in the entire body. It appears as firm overgrowths of tissues, usually fibrous, locally aggressive, well differentiated and infiltrative. Other terms used for this disorder are deep fibromatosis, nonmentastasizing fibrosarcoma or aggressive fibromatosis. It mostly grows from the abdomen and rectus muscle after giving birth or in scars from cuts during abdominal surgery. These tumors may also grow in bone muscles. [read more]
Also known as DSRCT, it is a very aggressive tumor that occurs rarely, a type of cancer that always grows in the abdomen and spreads locally to the lymph nodes. It can also spread to other parts of the body like the lungs, bones, and liver, chest walls, spinal cord, large and small intestine, skull, bladder, brain, ovaries, pelvis and testicles. This is most common in males especially in the young adolescent stage. This is a life threatening disease. This tumor is also called desmoplastic small round blue cell tumor, desmoplastic cancer, intraabdominal desmoplastic small round blue cell tumor or desmoplastic sarcoma. [read more]
Diffuse astrocytomas are adult brain tumors that develop on the brain tissues. They grow slowly and are diagnosed only when the cysts are already in the advanced stages. Young adults are prone to this kind of tumor. It can be diagnosed by CT scan and MRI, and can be removed by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. [read more]
Dysgerminoma is considered to be the most common classification of malignant form of germ cell ovarian cancer. Dysgerminoma usually occurs in adolescence and early adult life; about 5% occur in pre-pubertal children. Dysgerminoma is known to be an extremely rare medical condition that usually occurs after age 50. Dysgerminoma occurs in both sections of the ovaries in more than 10% of patients and, in a further 10%, there is microscopic tumor found to have developed in the other ovary. [read more]
Dysphagia is the medical term that denotes persistent difficulty in swallowing usually occurring at any age but is most common to occur in older adults. [read more]
Dysrhythmias are also known as tuberous sclerosis, which is categorized as a very rare form of genetic disease that causes growth of benign tumors in several parts of the body. The most common areas of growth include the brain, skin and kidneys. [read more]
Early puberty is characterized by the rapid growth of the muscles and bones as well as premature changes in the size and shape of the body. This condition is often more prevalent among girls than boys. [read more]
Ependymoblastoma is a malignant tumor which is very rarely reported. It is also known as Primitive neuroectodermal tumor or PNET. It usually occurs in children who are under 10 years of age. Ependyoblastoma is classified into two types which is based on its location in the body. It can be peripheral PNET or CNS PNET. [read more]
Ependymoma is a tumor that usually arises from the ependyma. Ependyma a tissue located in the central nervous system. Most of the time, the location of the tumor in children is in the intracranial, while the location of the tumor is in the spinal in the case of adults. The most common location of the intracranial ependymoma is in the fourth ventricle. It is only very rarely that ependymoma occurs in the pelvis or in the pelvic cavity. It is believed that Ependyomoma may have cause Syringomyelia. These tumors are also seen with Type 2 Neurofibromatosis. [read more]
Epidermoid carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma is a form of carcinoma type cancer which may occur in different numerous organs which includes the urinary bladder, skin, mouth, lips, esophagus, prostate, lungs, vagina, and also the cervix. It is often a malignant tumor of the squamous epithelium or the epithelium that presents squamous cell differentiation. [read more]
Epilepsy is a very common chronic neurological condition characterized by a recurrent seizure which is usally.The unprovoked seizures are transient signs or symptoms brought about by synchronous, abnormal, or excessive activities of the neurons in the patient's brain.There are about 50 million people around the world who suffer epilepsy at an any given time. Not all of epilepsy syndrome cases occur in a lifetime. Some forms of this disorder are only confined to some certain stages of childhood. Epilepsy, however, should not be considered or interpreted as a single disorder, rather occur as a group of syndromes with widely divergent symptoms which are all involving an episodic, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. [read more]
Esophageal neoplasm or esophageal cancer is a malignant condition of the esophagus. It refers to various other subtypes. Often, esophageal tumors usually lead to dysphagia or a patient's difficulty in swallowing, pain associated with other symptoms. These are often diagnosed via biopsy. [read more]
Ewing's sarcoma is also known as primitive neuroectodermal tumor and bone cancer. It is a disease that the cancer cell is found in the bone. |It is commonly occurs in pelvisc bone, the femur bone, humerus bone, and the ribs. [read more]
Exophthalmos is referring to as a bulging of the eye out of the orbit bone. There are two types of exopthalmus, its either bilateral, it is often seen in Graves' Disease or unilateral cause by an orbital tumor. [read more]
Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) is also called Multiple exostosis it is a disorder in which multiple bone growth in the bony area. [read more]
Eye cancers are malignant growths in the eyes. They are commonly associated with other cancers such as breast and lung cancers. They begin to grow as benign cysts or malignant rhabdomyosarcoma. When not treated, these cancers can caused permanent blindness or even death. [read more]
Melanoma that originates in your eye is termed a primary eye cancer. Eye melanoma is the most common type of primary eye cancer in adults, but it's rare. If the melanoma begins elsewhere and then spreads to your eye, it's called a secondary eye cancer; this also is rare. [read more]
Eye melanoma cancer is a disease affecting the cells in the eyes that produce melanin. It affects the frontal area of the uvea, particularly in the iris and ciliary body, as well as in the back portion of the uvea, particularly in the choroids layer. Melanoma is more commonly associated with skin cancer; however, it can also develop in an individual's eyes, as in the case of eye melanoma cancer. It may occur in the form of a primary eye cancer, which means that the melanoma originated in the eye; or as a secondary eye cancer, in which the melanoma has spread to the eye from some other part of the body. [read more]
Facial paralysis is quite a common problem that primarily involves the paralysis of any facial structure that is innervated by the nerve of the face. The main pathway of the human facial nerve is relatively convoluted and long, which means there are a number of underlying causes that may result to the development of facial paralysis. Among the most common causes is Bell's palsy. [read more]
Familial Polyposis is a genetic medical condition that attacks the patient's large intestine. Although this disease is considered rare, leaving it untreatedd can cause the onset of cancer. [read more]
Fanconi's anemia (FA) is an inherited ailment that involves children and adults belonging to all ethnic backgrounds. FA is distinguished by skeletal abnormalities, short figure, elevated occurrence of solid tumors and leukemias, failure in bone marrow and cellular sensitivity destroying agents like mitomycin C. [read more]
Female pseudohermaphroditism is a type of pseudohermaphroditism wherein the affected person is an inherent and ?gonadal' female having partial masculinization. Pseudohermaphroditism is a condition where the affected individual has gonads of one sex, but there's one or more existing contradictions in its morphologic sex criteria. In the case of female pseudohermaphroditism, a person has normal ovary development, internal reproductive tract, and XX karyotype, but they have virilized external or ambiguous genitalia. [read more]
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare as well as severely disabling type of autosomal dominant disease that is largely characterized by a series of recurrent painful episodes that involves soft tissue swelling along with the growth of tumors in muscle tissue and subcutis. These lesions would often lead to heterotopic ossification, which is true bone tissue development in the ligaments, axial musculature the fascia, the tendons, the aponeurosis, and the joint capsules [read more]
Fibroma is mainly a benign tumor which is made of fibrous connective tissues. This is a disease that is seen to be common among children and youngsters. This is found to occur to any part of the body. Generally, it can be categorized into Hard Fibroma or Soft Fibroma. Fibroma types include myxofibroma, pleomorphic fibroma, desmoplasmic fibroma, cemento-ossifying fibroma, cystic fibroma, ossifying fibroma, nonossifying fibroma and many more. [read more]
The term fibromatosis specifically refers to the certain group of benign soft tissue tumors that presents particular characteristics that includes the absence of clinical malignant and cytologic features. The histology of fibromatosis is consistent with the proliferation of some well-differentiated fibroblasts, with filtrative growth patterns and rather aggressive clinical behavior. The mass usually be characterized by dense fibrocellular tissues that contain some mature fibrocytes and collagen that may be in various stages of maturation. These mass have atypical features and may have abnormal mitotic activity. [read more]
Fibromyomas or uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors?that develop within or attach to the wall of the female reproductive organ called the uterus. [read more]
Fibrosarcoma is characterized as a tumor of the mesenchymal cell origin that is primarily composed of several malignant fibroblasts in collagen background. It typically occurs as a soft-tissue mass or a bone tumor. There are generally two main types of fibroscarcoma: primary and seconday. The former involves a fibroplastic malignancy producing varying amounts of collagen. Secondary fibrosarcoma results from a preexisting lesion. [read more]
A fractured femur is an injury of the thigh bone. The femur is one of the strongest bones of the human skeleton, and it connects the hip and knee joints. [read more]
Froelich's syndrome is an acquired medical condition involving endocrine abnormalities especially in the hypothalamus. Often associated with tumors in the hypothalamus, this syndrome commonly affects males only. It usually manifests during childhood, especially during puberty with occasional reports during the postadolescent period. Froelich's syndrome is also known by other synonyms such as Adiposogenital Dystrophy, Babinski-Froelich Syndrome, Dystrophia Adiposogenitalis, Frolich's Syndrome, Hypothalamic Infantilism-Obesity, Launois-Cleret Syndrome, and Sexual Infantilism. [read more]
The second most common type of epilepsy after temporal lobe epilepsy, Frontal lobe epilepsy is similar to temporal lobe epilepsy because it is a type of focal seizure, which means that the seizure starts in a focal area of the brain, commonly referred to as the focus. Frontal lobe epilepsy means that the focus is located in the frontal lobe. [read more]
The second most common type of epilepsy after temporal lobe epilepsy, Frontal lobe seizures is similar to temporal lobe epilepsy because it is a type of focal seizure, which means that the seizure starts in a focal area of the brain, commonly referred to as the focus. Frontal lobe epilepsy means that the focus is located in the frontal lobe. [read more]
A galactocele is a cystic tumor in the breast that contains a milky substance, or even milk. This disorder usually occurs when lactation has already ceased. [read more]
Gallbladder cancer is a rare type of cancer that affects the gallbladder in particular and the biliary tract in general. The gallbladder, along with the bile duct, is responsible for transporting bile. Cancerous gallbladder tumors are called adenocarcinomas, which commonly develop in the inner surface of the gallbladder. These adenocarcinomas are extremely invasive, rapidly penetrating deep into the gallbladder and spreading from the inner surface to the outer surface of the gallbladder. If untreated, the cancer can spread to lymph nodes or travel through the bloodstream and invade other parts of the body. [read more]
Ganglioglioma, otherwise known as Gangliocytoma, is a disease characterized by the presence of rare tumors. These tumors grow from ganglion cells in the area of the central nervous system, primarily composed of the brain and the spinal cord. Ganglion cells are another way of calling neurons that are found in the brain, some of them found in specific perceptive centers. Mature ganglion cells become clustered with neoplastic glial cells, forming these gangliogliomas. [read more]
Gardner's syndrome is a disease characterized by the growth of polyps in the colon accompanied by tumors outside the colon. The tumors found in the areas which are away from the colon may range from thyroid cancer, fibromas, sebaceous cysts, osteomas in the skull, and epidermoid cysts. The polyps found within the colon are indicators of the likely progression of the condition to colon cancer. [read more]
Gastric cancer pertains to cancer of the stomach. Adenocarcinomas, lymphomas, carcinoid tumors, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common types of gastric cancer. [read more]
Also known as gastro, gastric flu, and stomach flu. It refers to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, involving both the stomach and the small intestine resulting to acute diarrhea. [read more]
These are rare tumor of the gastrointestinal tract also known ?GIST'. GIST is a form of joint tissue cancer or sarcoma. GISTs are therefore non-epithelial tumors, separate from common forms of bowel cancer. [read more]
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are rare, benign growths in the gastrointestinal tract. [read more]
Genital system cancer is the collective term for cancers that affect the organs in the genital system. Included in this group are vaginal cancer, penis cancer and vulva cancer. [read more]
Gestational trophoblastic disease is a group of many other diseases that are all involved with the abnormal growth of cells in the uterus. It does not grow from the cells of the uterus. These are rare but treatable tumors that start in the tissues and they develop after the conception when the egg fertilizes the sperm. There are four types of gestational trophoblastic disease: Hydatidiform mole, persistent/invasive trophoblastic disease, choriocarcinoma and placental site trophoblastic tumors. [read more]
Giant lymph node hyperplasia (also known as Castleman's disease or CD) is a rare, benign disease involving lymph nodes in different locations, predominantly in the mediastinum. This disorder is marked by non-cancerous growths (tumors) that may develop in the lymph node tissue at a single site or throughout the body. It involves hyperproliferation of certain B cells that typically produce cytokines. [read more]
Gigantism is a condition wherein the human body grows excessively in height and weight during childhood, before the bone growth plates close, causing a person to live with overgrown bones. [read more]
Glioblastoma is a variety of central nervous system tumors, caused by glial cells. The brain is the most commonly affected area; however, the tumor can also occur in any other part of the central nervous system. [read more]
Glioblastoma multiforme is the highest grade brain tumor, and is also the most aggressive and most common type. It is also the most malignant form of gliomas characterized by star-shaped cells, called astrocystoma tumors. [read more]
Glioma is a classification of primary central nervous system tumors, caused by glial cells. Gliomas most commonly occur in the brain but can also occur in any other part of the central nervous system. Gliomas can also be classified as the following: oligodendroglioma, ependymoma, astrocystoma, and mixed gliomas. [read more]
Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare type of brain cancer. It is different from most brain cancers because the cancer causes a tumor, or a lump of the cancer cells. In gliomatosis cerebri, the cancer does not form a mass but forms threads of cancer cells that scatter around the brain. [read more]
Gliosarcoma is a malignant cancer and a glioblastoma consisting of gliomatous and sarcomatous components. Most gliomas do not show metastases outside the cerebrum however gliosarcoma being a rare type of glioma, have propensity to do so and are most commonly spreading through the blood to the lungs and liver including the lymph nodes (Beumont et. al. (2007). "Gliosarcoma with multiple extracranial metastases: case report and review of the literature". J. Neurooncology 83: 39-46). [read more]
Glucagonoma is a tumor affecting the pancreas' alpha cells, causing extreme surplus production of the hormones insulin and glucagons. The malignant and fast-spreading nature of the disease affects these alpha cells, causing the overproduction of hormones. [read more]
A grand mal seizure (also called tonic-clonic seizure) features a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. This is the type of seizure most people picture when they think about seizures in general. [read more]
Granulocytopenia is a condition wherein the body has a decreased amount of granulocytes. Granulocytes are a type of white blood cells containing microscopic granules which are actually small sacs that contain enzymes to digest microorganisms. It is also known by the names Granulopenia and neutropenia. [read more]
A condition which is characterized as a common, benign growth that often appears as a rapidly growing, bleeding bump on the skin or inside the mouth, composing of blood vessels and may occur at the site of minor injury is called pyogenic granuloma. It is sometimes called a ?pregnancy tumor? (granuloma gravidarum) when it occurs in a pregnant woman. They develop in up to 5% of pregnant women. [read more]
Hemangioblastoma is a disease of the central nervous system characterized by benign brain tumors, usually occurring in the cerebellum. The tumors represent cysts, and contain small solid nodules inside. The small nodules contain abnormal blood vessels in a tangle. Hemangioblastomas are most commonly occurring in those ranging from 35 to 45 years old. [read more]
Hemangioendothelioma refers to a group of vascular neoplasms that may be either benign or malignant. Around 10% of cases are associated with other syndromes including lymphedema, early onset varicose veins, Mafucci's syndrome, and Klippel-Trenauay-Weber syndrome. There are 3 types of hemangioendotheliomas: retiform, epitheloid, and kaposiform. [read more]
Hemangioma is a commonly occurring type of vascular anomaly, or a birthmark. They appear as abnormal lumps composed of blood vessels. The condition is a benign tumor that may either appear at birth or present itself later on in life and may be located anywhere in the body. In some cases, they occur internally. [read more]
Hemangio thrombocytopenia syndrome or HTS is a rare disease affecting infants characterized by a vascular tumor which causes low platelet count as well as bleeding problems. The condition is also known as Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome. [read more]
Hemianopia, or hemianopsia, refers to a partial vision loss in the eyes. It has three types: binasal, bitemporal, and homonymous hemianopia. [read more]
Hepatic hemangiomas are benign tumors that develop in the liver. They are not cancerous. [read more]
Hepatoblastoma is a rare malignant liver neoplasm arising in infants and children and composed of tissue resembling fetal or mature liver cells or bile ducts. They are generally present with an abdominal mass. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) commonly is heightened but when AFP is not elevated at diagnosis the prognosis is poor. [read more]
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a primary malignancy of the liver. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis. In countries where hepatitis is not endemic, most of the malignant cancers in the liver are not primary HCC but metastasis of cancer from elsewhere in the body, like the colon. Treatment options of HCC and prognosis depend on many factors but especially on tumor size and staging. [read more]
Hepatoma is a cancer that affects the liver. It is the most common kind of liver cancer. [read more]
The hereditary ataxias are a group of genetic disorders marked by slowly progressive incoordination of gait and often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements. Frequently, atrophy of the cerebellum arises. The hereditary ataxias are grouped by mode of inheritance and causative gene or chromosomal locus. [read more]
Horner's syndrome is a clinical syndrome resulting from damage to the sympathetic nervous system. It is also known as Bernard-Horner syndrome or oculosympathetic palsy. [read more]
HPV infection is a condition contracted from one of a group of more than 100 related human papillomaviruses (or HPVs). [read more]
HPV infection is a condition contracted from one of a group of more than 100 related human papillomaviruses (or HPVs). [read more]
Hydronephrosis is swelling (dilation) of the urine-collecting structures of one or both kidneys because of the obstruction of urine flow from the kidney. This can hinder kidney function. Hydronephrosis is not a specific disease, but a sign of an underlying problem. [read more]
Hydrops fetalis is a condition in the fetus marked by an accumulation of fluid, or edema, in at least two fetal compartments, including the subcutaneous tissue, pleura, pericardium, or in the abdomen, which is also known as ascites. The edema is typically seen in the fetal subcutaneous tissue, sometimes leading to spontaneous abortion. It is a prenatal form of heart failure, in which the heart has failed to satisfy the insatiable demand for an unusually high amount of blood flow. [read more]
Hyperadrenalism, more commonly known as Cushing's Syndrome, is an endocrine abnormality marked by the presence of high cortisol levels in the blood. Hyperadrenalism is also often called hypercortisolism or hyperadrenocorticism. Its more familiar moniker, ?Cushing's Syndrome?, is attributed to Harvey Cushing, an American physician who is credited for its discovery and consequent study. According to the results of Cushing's studies, the disease is characterized by abnormal fat deposition. It also occurs commonly in dogs and domestic horses. In particular, Cushing's syndrome occurs when the adrenal cortex is invaded with a tumor and particularly deficient ACTH levels. [read more]
Hyperaldosteronism, also commonly known as aldosteronism, is a disorder in which the adrenal glands produce abnormally high levels of aldosterone, which can lead to decreased levels of potassium in the blood. [read more]
Hypercalcaemia (sometimes spelled Hypercalcemia) is a disorder characterized by elevated levels of calcium in the blood. Hypercalcaemia may be asymptomatic. It can, however, indicate the presence of other diseases; therefore, a diagnosis is needed if it persists. [read more]
Hyperparathyroidism is a condition characterized by an over activity of the parathyroid glands, often caused by an overproduction of the parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH regulates and helps maintain the levels of calcium and phosphate in the body. When one or more of the parathyroid glands becomes over-active, calcium levels are elevated while phosphate levels drop. [read more]
Hyperprolactinemia (AmE), also known as Hyperprolactinaemia (BrE), is characterized by increased levels of proclatin in the blood. Normal proclatin levels in women are less than 580 mIU/L, whereas 450 mIU/L is normal for men. [read more]
Hyperreflexia is a medical condition characterized by overresponsive or overactive reflexes, such as twitching and spastic tendencies. Hyperreflexia, which is more of a symptom than a disease, is usually indicative of a disorder of the upper motor neurons as well as disinhibition or a decrease or loss of control in the higher brain centers. [read more]
Hypersomnia is a condition characterized by recurring episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness. People in this condition tend to take a nap at random hours during the day. [read more]
Hypertropia is characterized by the misalignment of the eyes, in which the visual axis of one eye is higher than the other. It is similar to hypotropia, wherein focus of the eye with the visual axis is lower than the fellow fixating eye. [read more]
Hyphema is a condition wherein blood is accumulated inside the anterior chamber of the eye. [read more]
Hypogeusia is the reduced ability of the taste buds to differentiate flavors. It is a common side effect of chemotherapy and anti-tumor antibiotics. The complete lack of taste meanwhile is called ageusia. [read more]
Hypogonadism is a condition characterized by a lack of function of the gonads as a result of a defect of the reproductive system. The gonads produces hormones and also plays a role in producing eggs and sperm. Infertility results from defective sperm and egg development. Hypogonadism is often used to describe a permanent defect of the reproductive system. [read more]
Hypopituitarism is a disorder characterized by a deficiency in one or several hormones of the pituitary gland. Hormones are produced by the hypothalamus to regulate secretions from the pituitary gland. This is why a dysfunction in the hypothalamus often causes disorders in the pituitary gland. [read more]
Hypothalamic dysfunction is a condition that involves the hypothalamus, a region in the brain that helps control the pituitary glands especially in responding to stress. The hypothalamus gland helps in the regulation if appetite and weight, balance of salt and water in the body, body temperature as well as emotions. Childbirth, growth, sleep and milk production are also regulated by the hypothalamus. The thyroid, ovaries, adrenal glands and testes are all controlled in turn by the pituitary gland. [read more]
An insulinoma is a tumour of the pancreas derived from the beta cells which while keeping the ability to synthesize and secrete insulin is autonomous of the normal feedback mechanisms. [read more]
Intraductal carcinoma, or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), is when abnormal cells multiply and form a growth within a milk duct of your breast. [read more]
Intraocular lymphoma is a rare malignant form of eye cancer that is capable of quickly spreading to the brain. [read more]
Intraocular melanoma, a rare cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the area of the eye called the uvea. [read more]
JRA or Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is not just a single illness. It is, in fact, a group of illnesses of unidentified etiology. The manifestation is a chronic inflammation of the joint. Treatment advances in the last thirty years have altered the prognosis for the more acute types of this disease. The first treatment is limited with only the use of salicylates and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. The initial treatment resulted into numerous patients being bound to their wheelchairs. Some patients tried synovectomies to get rid of tissue excesses which result from uncontrolled arthritis. The second-line medicines that were added have improved the prognosis for those who suffered from JRA. It started with gold salt injection and gradually replaced by MTX or methotrexate which is a more effective solution. These drugs are administered with team approach background in centers of pediatric rheumatology. In there, occupational and physical therapies have allowed much improved physical functions. The introduction of etanercept (which is a biologic enemy of tumor necrosis factor or TNF) has introduced a new era in treatments. A few more biologic agents such as the anakinra (which is an IL-1 or interleukin-1 receptor opponent) could be used in some patients who are not responsive to second-line medication. The future holds an inhibition of IL-6 which could be effective in systemic sufferers with JRA with high levels. [read more]
Moritz Kaposi, a Hungarian dermatologist was the first one to describe Kaposi's sarcoma, as a tumor caused by Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV8). HHV8 is the eight human herpes virus. Kaposi's sarcoma is the cancer that usually comes about in many AIDS suffering patients. [read more]
Keloids are type of scars characterized by significant marks of skin elevation; it is an overgrowth of tissue on the exact location of the healed skin injury. Keloids usually occur after an injury or surgery. Keloids are usually firm, fibrous lesions. Keloids are non-contagious and non-malignant at the same time. Not like scars, keloids do not sink in size. Keloids often form on the back, chest, earlobes, and shoulder. The face is not primarily at a risk of developing keloids. [read more]
Keratoacanthoma is a fairly common, epithelial tumor. Formerly, it was regarded as variant of Squamous Cell Carcinoma; a form of malignant cancer that occur in many different organs of the body including the skin, lips, esophagus, and mouth among other else. It is a disease common in the elderly. Keratoacanthoma usually disappears by itself within a period of time; it is non-contagious. [read more]
Kidney cancer is also known as renal cell carcinoma arising from the renal tubule. It is the most common kind of kidney cancer in adults. It is notoriously resistant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy, although some cases respond to immunotheraphy. [read more]
A Krukenberg tumor is a secondary ovarian abnormality in which an ovarian tumor grows in the gastrointestinal tract. These tumors are characterized by the presence of mucin-secreting signet-ring cells in the ovarian tissues. [read more]
Laryngeal carcinoma is cancer of the laryngeal area. It is also referred to as cancer of the larynx or laryngeal cancer. Usually, laryngeal carcinomas are squamous cell carcinomas that come from the squamous cells that form a large part of the laryngeal cavity. [read more]
Laryngeal Papillomatosis is a rare medical condition characterized by the development of tumors in the larynx, vocal chords, or respiratory tract. This medical condition is caused and triggered by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection in the throat. In due course, these tumors will cause blockage to the airway passage, which may result to breathing problems. [read more]
The Li-Fraumeni syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder. It develops a tumor that hinders normal cell growth. It can also take form in several types of cancers and attack persons at a very young age. [read more]
A lipoma is a slow-growing, fatty tumor situated between the skin and the underlying muscle layer. [read more]
Liposarcoma is a malignant tumor that develops in fat cells inside the thigh or retroperitoneum. It is usually a cluster of large tumors that thrive in different parts of the thigh. [read more]
Liver neoplasms are non-endemic, malignant cancers in the liver that spread in the other body organs such as he colon. [read more]
Lower back pain is a common condition in which the lumbar vertebrae swells and causes pain. It has three types of classifications, acute, subacute and chronic. [read more]
L?es Cong?nita, more popularly known as Syphilis, is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a gram-negative bacterium called Treponema pallidum spirochete. Syphilis may not necessarily be contracted through sexual contact. Cases have been documented wherein the infection is passed from mother to offspring in the utero. [read more]
Lumbago is a general term pertaining to persistent pain affecting the small of the back, or more specifically, the lumbar region. [read more]
Lung abscess pertains to an acute lung infection characterized by a localized accumulation of pus, inflammation, and tissue damage. [read more]
Lung cancer is an affliction characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in the tissues of the lung, which may ultimately lead to metastasis, invasion of adjacent tissues, and even infiltration in other parts of the body. [read more]
Lymphadenopathy is a term meaning "disease of the lymph nodes." Almost synonymously are used with "swollen/enlarged lymph nodes". When the infection of the lymph nodes themselves, it is called lymphadenitis, but when the infection is of the lymph channels, it is called lymphangitis. [read more]
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, LMA for brevity, is a rare lung disorder in which abnormal smooth muscle cells grow rapidly in lung and lymph tissue [read more]
Lymphangiomas are a rare type of angioma or benign tumors that typically appear at birth or early in childhood. [read more]
Lynch syndrome is a rare inherited condition that increases the risk of colon cancer and other cancers. [read more]
By definition, this disease was named named after the French physician Prosper M?ni?re, who was the first to make a report in an 1861 article that vertigo was caused by inner ear. Today, M?ni?re's disease is recognized as a disorder of the inner ear that can affect both hearing and balance [read more]
Maffucci syndrome, named after Angelo Maffucci, is usually presented by multiple enchondromas associated with multiple cavernous soft tissue hemangiomas. [read more]
Malabsorption is a condition characterized by impaired absorption of nutrients from the GI tract, affecting the small intestine's ability to adequately absorb nutrients that are essential for the normal functioning of the body. [read more]
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma is a type of malignant cancer that develops in fibrous support tissue or bone. The usual location of tumors is found in extremities; however it can possibly appear in any body part. It is the most common type of soft tissue cancer that appears in later adult life, usually between the ages of 50-70. [read more]
Malveolar echinococcosis is a rare medical condition that exhibits a tumor-like growth on the liver and can induce potential serious health complications. Red foxes have been identified to be the primary hosts of this parasite that can be passed on to human beings. Up until today, there have no definitive study with regard to this condition as it is known to be a very rare occurrence. [read more]
Marek's disease is an extremely contagious viral neoplastic disease in chickens that is characterized especially by proliferation of lymphoid cells and is caused by a herpes virus having several serotypes. It usually affects both commercial and backyard poultry that often results to severe production loss or death. Marek's disease causes multiple nerve changes and aids in the development of tumors in major internal organs. [read more]
Masculinisation is a condition in which an affected female takes on a distinctly and progressively male appearance. [read more]
By definition, medulloblastoma is an extremely malignant primary brain tumor that comes from the cerebellum or posterior fossa of the human brain. It belongs to the family of tumors knows as cranial primitive neuroectodermal tumors or PNET. [read more]
Megacolon otherwise known as the Hirschsprung's disease, is a disease that usually hits the large intestine or the colon causing bowel movement problems. [read more]
Melanomas are tumors of melanocytes that are malignant and found basically on the skin but can also appear elsewhere in the body. While it is rarer compared to other skin cancers, it however causes the majority of deaths related to cancer; more frequent among Caucasian males, the WHO reports that over 48,000 deaths from melanoma occur globally every year. [read more]
Meninges cancer pertains to a disorder characterized by a cancerous malignancy or carcinoma found in the brain's meninges, or that intricate system of membranes that envelops the central nervous system. If the tumor originates in the meninges, it is known as meningioma. [read more]
Meningiomas are actually the most common benign tumors of the brain although there is a small number which can also be malignant. They come from the arachnoidal cap cells of the meninges and represent about 15% of all primary brain tumors. [read more]
Posterior meningocele is a least common form of the condition known as spina bifida which is Latin for split spine. Spina bifida is a birth defect that affects the neural tube. What happens is that there is an incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube which contributes to an unformed spinal cord. The vertebrae found at the open part of the spinal cord is not fully formed as well and remains unfused and exposed. [read more]
Merkel cell cancer is a rare form of cancer characterized by a bluish-red or flesh-colored nodule on the skin, particularly on the face, head, or neck of affected patients. It is also known as neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, and typically occurs in the elderly. [read more]
Metastatic cancer is a term used in reference to cancer that has spread from its origin to other organs or parts of the body. Only malignant or cancerous cells have the capacity to metastasize. [read more]
Mitral valve stenosis otherwise known as the mitral stenosis is a condition whereby the heart mitral valve is narrowed which thereby prevents the valve from opening fully and causes obstruction of blood flow between the left chamber of the heart. [read more]
Moersch-Woltmann syndrome, also known as stiff person disease, is a rare neurological disorder that causes severe muscle stiffness which could lead to paralysis. [read more]
Morton's Neuroma, also called the plantar neuoma or the intermetatarsak neuroma, is a noncancerous growth of the nerve tissue in the foot, usually between the third and the fourth toes. It is not necessarily considered as a tumor but a mere thickening of the tissue around the digital nerves leading to the toes. [read more]
Sometimes called multiple endocrine adenomatosis or Wemer's syndrome, Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an inherited disorder affecting the endocrine glands. Occurring only in about 3 to 20 persons out of 100,000, MEN1 is quite rare but affects both sexes equally and has no geographical, ethnic, or racial preferences. [read more]
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) is a group of medical disorders linked with tumors that maybe benign or malignant, of the endocrine system. Generally occurring in endocrine organs such as thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenals, tumor/s may also occur in endocrine tissues and not in a classical endocrine organ. MEN2 itself is a sub-type of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN). [read more]
Multiple myeloma is a disease known to have several names; these include MM, myeloma, plasma cell myeloma, or as Kahler's disease after Otto Kahler. It a type of cancer of plasma cells that serve as immune system cells in the bone marrow that produce antibodies. [read more]
Mycosis Fungoides is also referred to as Alibert-Bazin Syndrome or granuloma fungoides. It is the most common presentation of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma wherein the skin is the primary part of the body that is affected. As the disease progresses, it can also affect the internal organs and the blood. This condition was initially described in 1806 by a French dermatologist named, Jean-Louis-Marc Alibert. Mycosis fungoides caused several misconceptions because it stands for a fungal disease characterized by a mushroom-like presentation. It was named as such by Alibert based upon his description of the disease's severe case which appears similarly to a mushroom. However, it is far from a fungal disease or infection. It is actually a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. [read more]
Mycosis Fungoides Lymphoma is classified as the most common presentation of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In general, the skin is the primary part of the body that is affected. However, it can advance internally as the disease progresses. Initially described in 1806 by a French dermatologist named, Jean-Louis-Marc Alibert, mycosis fungoides lymphoma caused some misconceptions. It stands for a fungal disease characterized by a mushroom-like presentation. It was named as such by Alibert based upon his description of the disease's severe case which appears similarly to a mushroom. However, it is far from a fungal disease or infection. It is actually a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. [read more]
Myoclonus is a medical symptom marked by a brief, involuntary twitching of a muscle or a group of muscles, often caused by contractions of the muscle as a result of brief lapses in concentration. [read more]
Nasopharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in the nasopharynx. This tumor blocks the passageways in that open the upper throat. This passage is also where the olfactory tubes open into the throat. [read more]
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is cancer originating in the nasal part of the pharynx, which is the topmost region of the throat; the area where the nasal passes and the auditory tubes join the remaining portions of the upper respiratory tract. [read more]
Nelson's Syndrome is the rapid enlargement of a pituitary tumor that comes about after removing both adrenal glands. [read more]
Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer which affects infants and children which usually occurs and develops in the nerve cells of the body. It usually occurs in and around the adrenal glands but it some cases it may also grow in the chest, neck and pelvis. [read more]
Nerve cancer pertains to a type of carcinoma affecting the nerve cells, often involving a tumor that originates from the cells of the nervous system. Nerve cancer is also usually associated with brain cancer. [read more]
Paraneoplastic syndromes particularly that of the nervous system is a result of the body's reaction to the presence of cancer or to substances that an existing tumor located in the nervous system may produce. [read more]
Neuroblastoma is a neuroendocrine tumor, originating from any neural crest element of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The sympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is a nerve network responsible for carrying messages from the brain throughout the whole body. It is also the part of the brain responsible for fight-or-flight response and adrenaline or epinephrine production. Neuroblastoma commonly begins in one of the adrenal glands. [read more]
Neuroendocrime Carcinoma of the skin or the Merkel cell carcinoma, is a type of cancer that appears as a flesh colored or bluish red nodule on the skin, commonly in the face, head or neck. [read more]
Neuroendocrine cancer is cancer of the interface between the endocrine system and the nervous system. It is also known as gastro-entero-pancreatic or gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). Some examples of neuroendocrine tumors are carcinoid tumors, islet cell tumors, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and pheochromocytoma. These tumors secrete hormones in excess, causing a variety of symptoms. [read more]
Neurofibroma is a type of nerve sheath tumor. Nerve sheath tumors are nervous system tumors which are mostly consist of myelin surrounding nerves. Essentially, Neurofibroma is a benign tumor originating from nerve cells. It usually arises from nerves in the skin or under the skin. [read more]
Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. Neurofibromatosis covers all distinct genetic disorders that cause tumors to develop along different nerves. [read more]
Neurofibromatosis type 2 is an inherited disorder. It is also known as MISME Syndrome (Multiple Inherited Schwannomas, Meningiomas, and Ependymomas). This disease is characterized by the development of symmetric, benign tumors in the portion of the auditory-vestibular nerve. This nerve is the one responsible for conveying sensory information coming from the inner ear to the brain. [read more]
Neuroma is a term generally used to describe any swelling or inflammation of a nerve, but more specifically used in reference to a tumor (usually benign) growing in the nerve cells. [read more]
Occipital neuralgia is a distinct form of headache marked by throbbing, piercing, or chronic pain occurring in the back of the head, upper neck, and behind the ears, usually on only one side of the head. [read more]
The odontoma is a benign tumor usually associated with an unerupted tooth. [read more]
Oligodendroglioma pertains to a rare brain tumor that grows from the cells that encompass the supportive connective tissue around the nerve cells of the brain. Oligodendroglioma more commonly develops in adults than in children, and more commonly in men than in women. [read more]
An oncocytoma is an epithelial tumor in the kidney or salivary gland. These tumors are composed of oncocytes, which are special cells. [read more]
Onychomycosis means fungal infection of the nail. It is the very common disease of the nails and constitutes about a half of all nail abnormalities. This condition can affect toe- or fingernails, but toenail infections are particularly common. The prevalence of onychomycosis is about 6-8% in the adult population. Onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes is also called as tinea unguium (tinea of the nails). [read more]
Opththalmoplegia pertains an eye abnormality characterized by the paralysis of eye muscles. It may also be spelled alternatively as opththalmoplegia. [read more]
Oral and throat cancer is a type of cancer affecting the mouth, lips, tongue, gums, salivary glands, and a portion of the throat behind the mouth. It is also alternatively called oropharyngeal cancer. [read more]
Oral cancer is any cancerous tissue growth located in the mouth. It could arise as a primary lesion originating in any of the oral tissues, by metastasis from a distant site of origin, or by extension from a neighboring anatomic structure, such as the nasal cavity or the maxillary sinus. [read more]
Oropharyngeal cancer pertains to types of carcinomas occurring in the mouth, lips, tongue, gums, salivary glands, as well as parts of the throat located behind the stomach. It is also alternatively known as oral and throat cancer. [read more]
Osteogenic sarcoma is also called asosteosarcoma and is identified as one of the most common types of cancer of the bones found in children. This medical condition is mostly found in lone bones such as the legs, pelvis and arm bones. This cancer has also been found to be more prevalent among male patients than females. The cancer cells can rapidly spread to other areas of the body and like any other cancer, it is fatal without any medical intervention. [read more]
Osteoid Osteoma pertains to a type of benign bone tumor often appearing in the long bones of the lower extremities. It most commonly affects the thighbone or femur, although it can also affect the hand bones and sometimes the lower part of the spine. Osteoid Osteoma typically affects teenagers and young adults. [read more]
Osteoma is a generic term pertaining to a benign tumor growing in the bone. There are several types of osteoma, each occurring in a bone in a different area of the body. [read more]
Osteosarcoma is a disease characterized by the growth of cancer cells in the bone, commonly affecting adolescents and young adults. While it may occur in any part of the body, a majority of the cases involve a tumor found around the knee. It is alternatively known as ?osteogenic sarcoma?, which literally translates to ?bone forming cancer?. [read more]
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common form of cancer found in women. This is brought about by the abnormal overproduction of ovarian and the development of tumors that may affect one or both or the ovaries. The rate of survival is critically dependent on earaly detection and expert medical intervention. [read more]
Pancreatic cancer usually develops in the pancreas tissues. The pancreas are responsible for secreting enzymes that will aid in the digestion as well as regulate hormones that would help regulate sugar. [read more]
There are a number of diseases that is covered by pancreatic diseases and most of these conditions is a result of underlying pancreatic and other internal problems. This may include pancreatic cancer, acute pancreatitis, hereditary forms, and endocrine tumors of the pancreas. The symptoms, causes, treatment and diagnosis of the disease greatly differ depending on the underlying nature if the condition [read more]
Pancreatic Islet Cell Neoplasms develop into two different categories: the nonfunctional and functional varieties. However, most cases of this medical condition are found functional, which means the neoplasms secrete hormonal products into the patient's bloodstream, leading to the development of more recognizable symptoms. [read more]
A pancreatic islet cell tumor is one of the rather uncommon forms of tumor of the pancreas. This medical condition arises from a certain cell that is in the pancreas, which is referred to as islet cell. Generally, islet cells are known to produce insulin hormones, [read more]
Pancreatoblastoma is also known as the infantile form of pancreatic carcinoma. This medical condition is considered to be one of the extremely rare types of pancreatic tumor that typically develops during early childhood. In comparison to all other carcinomas, PB has been known to be less aggressive in infants as well as children than the cases found in adult. [read more]
Hypopituitarism is a medical disorder characterized by the failure of the pituitary gland to produce a single or more of hormones, or the inability to produce enough. The pituitary gland secretes certain hormones that greatly influence almost all parts of the human body. This is the reason why in hypopituitarism affects any number of the normal bodily routines such as blood pressure, growth and reproduction. [read more]
Papilledema is characterized as the swelling of the optic nerve. This is the point where the option nerve joins the eye, where the swelling causes a fluid pressure within the patient's skull or what is known as the intracranial pressure. This swelling can be due to an inflammatory illness or infection. [read more]
Papilloedema is a disease characterized by optic disc swelling, often as a result of increased intracranial pressure. The characteristic swelling frequently occurs bilaterally over a period of hours to weeks. Papilloedema is also alternatively spelled as papilledema. [read more]
Papilloma pertains to a benign or non-cancerous epithelial tumor that grows in an exophytical fashion in finger-like fronds. More commonly, the word ?papilla? is used in reference to the projection or pattern created by the tumor; not the tumor on an already existing papilla (such as the nipple, for instance). In this context, the word ?papilloma? pertains to infections caused by the human papillomavirus. [read more]
Paragangliomas are characterized as glomus tumors that are said to be derived from paraganglion tissue or the carotid body. These tumors are typically benign and usually grow in the mastoid and middle ear. [read more]
Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration is a disease that is primarily characterized by the rapid development of what is known as severe pancerebellar dysfunction. PCD is typically associated with some gynecologic tumors, lung and breast cancer, particularly those with small cell lung carcinoma as well as Hodgkin's lymphoma. [read more]
Paraplegia is defined as the impairment of the sensory and/or motor function affecting the lower extremities. This medical condition is usually a result of a spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that basically affects the neural elements found in the spinal canal. [read more]
Peptic Ulcer, also known as peptic ulcer disease or PUD, are sores that develop on the stomach lining, esophagus, the upper small intestine and other areas of the gastrointestinal tract, making it extremely painful for the patient. [read more]
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare cancer that normally occurs in the abdominal tissue. [read more]
Peritoneum cancer pertains to cancer originating from the peritoneum, a membrane that lines the insides of the abdomen including all the organs found here like the intestines, liver and stomach. Peritoneum cancer is a rare type of cancer mainly affecting women, similar to ovarian cancer. Peritoneum cancer is also alternatively known as primary peritoneal cancer or PPC. [read more]
Peutz-Jeghers is also popularly known as Hereditary Intestinal Polyposis Syndrome. This is an autosomal disease involving the dominant genes. It is occurs as a development of some hamartomatous polyps in our gastrointestinal tract. [read more]
Pheochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor which occur in the medulla found in the adrenal glands. These originated in the chromaffin cells or from the extra-adrenal chromaffin tissues that failed to curl or curve forward after birth. [read more]
Pinealoma is defined as a rare type of tumor that grows at a slow rate in the patient's brain. This disease is often referred to as pineocytoma or pinealocytoma. [read more]
Pituitary Cancer pertains to malignant tumor or tumors that originate from the pituitary glands, those pea-sized glands located just above and behind the nose, or at the center of the brain, which primarily control hormone production and regulation for a number of bodily functions. [read more]
Pituitary insufficiency, otherwise known as hypopituitarism, is a rare disorder, in which there is an underproduction by the pituitary gland of one or more of its hormones, or it does not produce them at all. [read more]
Pituitary tumors are abnormal growths that develop in the pituitary gland, which may cause either overproduction or underproduction of hormones. [read more]
Pleural Cancer is a type of cancer occurring in the layer of tissue covering the lungs and the lining the interior wall of the chest cavity that protects and cushions the lungs. Technically, the pleura is a sac that contains the lungs and a thin membrane called the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is cancer of the pleural lining caused by asbestos. [read more]
Pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of mesothelioma, is a rare cancer that occurs in the pleura or the tissue that surrounds the lung. [read more]
Pneumothorax is a type of lung collapse. [read more]
Polycythemia, or erythrocytosis, is a condition where there is a net increase in the total number of blood cells, primarily in the red blood cells, of the body. There are different types of polycythemia: primary polycythemia (polycythemia vera), secondary polycythemia, chuvash polycythemia, and relative polycythemia [read more]
Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma is a tumor affecting the minor salivary glands, commonly but not exclusively in the palate. [read more]
Primary amenorrhea is a condition characterized by absence of menstrual periods by the age of sixteen (16). [read more]
Primary hyperparathyroidism is a disorder of the parathyroid glands characterized by too much secretion of hormones which cause disruption leading to elevated blood calcium levels. [read more]
Prolactinoma is a condition in which a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland in the brain overproduces the hormone prolactin. A decrease in normal levels of sex hormones (testosterone in men,estrogen in women) is a major effect of increased prolactin. [read more]
Prolapse uterus or uterine prolapse is the descent of the uterus into the vagina due to stretched and weakend pelvic floor musles and ligaments. [read more]
Proteus syndrome is a congenital condition characterized by skin overgrowths and abnormal bone developments, which often presents with tumors located in different parts of the body. [read more]
Pruritis ani is an itching around the anus. It is also called anal itching. [read more]
Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a malignant tumor that develops in the abdominal and pelvic areas. In this state tumor cells grow due to the bursting of a certain polyp with the appendix wall. When the tumor cells accumulate they make the abdominal area swollen, and the gastrointestinal functions become impaired. [read more]
Ptosis is the medical term used to describe drooping eyelids. Patients with ptosis are unable to lift either one or both of the upper eyelids to uncover the eye. The condition usually leads to an unattractive appearance thus patients want to have their damaged eyelids corrected. [read more]
When an artery in the lung becomes blocked, Pulmonary embolism may occur. Though the condition is not fatal in most cases, it is still a leading cause of hospital deaths and is an increasing risk to passengers on long airplane flights. [read more]
Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome is characterized by severe resistance to insulin, abnormal growth and development, acanthosis nigricans, and, in some cases, a hypertrophic pineal gland. In this rare insulin receptor disorder, the patient's body suffers from a disability to use insulin which is needed to control blood sugar levels. [read more]
Reactive hypoglycemia is characterized by recurrent episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia that occur within 2-4 hours after ingesting a high carbohydrate meal. The condition is believed to be a consequence of excessive insulin release triggered by glucose overload that persist even after the glucose from the meal has been digested or disposed by the body. Literally, hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. Most forms of hypoglycemia occur while fasting. However, reactive hypoglycemia is one that occurs right after eating a meal. [read more]
Rectal itching is an itching around the anus. It is also called pruritis ani or anal itching. [read more]
Rectosigmoid neoplasm is a tumor originating from the sigmoid colon or the upper rectal area. A rectosigmoid neoplasm may be benign or malignant. [read more]
Rectum cancer is a kind of cancer wherein malignant cells take over the rectal tissues. In this condition the cancer cells that invade the rectal tissues cause abnormal growths in the blood vessels causing rectal obstruction. These cells can also spread in the different organs of the body. [read more]
Renal cancer means cancer of the kidney; renal being the Latin word for kidney. The most common form of renal cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which starts in the renal tubule. [read more]
Respiratory acidosis is the abnormal increase of acidity in the blood as a consequence of decreased ventilation of the pulmonary alveoli, which leads to an increase in carbon dioxide concentration (PaCO2). Respiratory acidosis can be either acute or chronic. [read more]
Retinoblastoma pertains to cancer of the retina that affects children. If untreated, retinoblastoma is almost invariably fatal. [read more]
Rhabdoid tumor pertains to a very rare and extremely aggressive tumor commonly occurring in children ages 2 to 13 years. Initially, rhabdoid tumor was believed to be a variant of Wilms' tumor. However, recent studies have shown that rhabdoid tumor is an entirely separate entity. The location of this highly malignant tumor may be intraventicular, supratentorial, or infratentorial. [read more]
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare form of cancer of the sarcoma (or connective tissues) commonly occurring in children ages 1 to 5 and, in some cases, teenagers ages 15 to 19. The malignant cells are believed to originate from skeletal muscle progenitors. The cancer may also attach itself to muscle tissues, wrap around intestines, or affect any other areas. The cancerous mass may resemble a 6-8 week old embryo in younger children. In teens and older children, the cancer may be as large as a 10-12 week old embryo. [read more]
Rheumatoid spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis. It is also referred to as ankylosing spondylitis or spondylitis. [read more]
Rodent ulcer is a type of cancer of the skin accounting for about 75% of all skin cancers. This is a slow-growing skin tumor in the basal skin cells. The cancer cells that cause ulcers gradually enlarge gnawing at the normal cells, thus the name rodent ulcer. [read more]
Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, also called Broad Thumb-Hallux syndrome, is a condition characterized by moderate to severe mental retardation, short stature, broad thumbs and first toes, distinctive facial features, and short stature. A distinction can be made between Rubinstein-Taybi like syndrome and Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome; the latter has gene promoter involvement. [read more]
Sacroiliitis is a condition in which one or both of the joints that connect the lower spine and pelvis are inflammed. [read more]
Salivary gland cancer is a rare carcinoma affecting the salivary glands of the mouth, throat, or neck. [read more]
Sarcoidosis, also known as Besnier-Boeck disease, pertains to a disorder of the immune system characterized by non-caseating garnulomas that mostly affects young adults. The term is from the Greek words ?sark? and ?oid?, meaning ?flesh-like?. [read more]
Granulocytic sarcoma is a form of chloroma, characterized by the appearance of a solid tumor consisting of myeloblasts (i.e. or white blood cells that are described as immature and malignant). It is also alternatively known as granulocytic sarcoma or (more appropriately) extramedullary myeloid tumor. Basically, a chloroma is a solid collection of leukemic cells found outside the bone marrow; in particular, it is an extramedullary symptom of acute myeloid leukemia. [read more]
Schwannoma, malignant is a type of malignant tumor that grows from the nerve sheath cells. It originates from the Schwann cells that are responsible for providing myelin insulation to nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system. It is most common to occur on the sciatic, brachial and sacral plexus nerves. [read more]
Schwannomatosis is a disorder that causes tumors, known as Schwannomas to grow on nerves in the peripheral nervous system. It is a form of a genetic disorder known as Neurofibromatosis, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. In Schwannomatosis, there is a great possibility that the nerves in the head and peripheral nerves may be affected. [read more]
This is a medical condition wherein the person's spine is curved sideways and may also be rotated. When the spine is seen in x-rays, it may look more like a letter ?S' or a ?C'. It is categorized as congenital, idiopathic or developed due to a secondary symptom of another condition like celebral palsy. [read more]
Scrotal masses are fluid or solid materials found in, on, or around the testicles. It may also indicate a serious condition such as cancer. [read more]
Temporal lobe seizure is a type of complex partial seizure that is usually localized to one part of the brain. [read more]
Severe brain injury is a condition in which an individual has been unconscious for a prolonged length of time due to a variety of problems such as a stroke, traumatic head injury, brain tumor, or an underlying illness such as an infection or diabetes. [read more]
Sheehan syndrome is a rare condition that happens in women who suffered a severe uterine bleeding during and after childbirth. In this medical condition the resulting blood loss and hypovolemic shock may cause damage to the pituitary gland leading to hypopituitarism. Sheehan syndrome is also known as postpartum hypopituitarism or postpartum pituitary necrosis. [read more]
Sialadenitis is inflammation of salivary gland due to obstruction of the salivary gland or duct. Sialadenitis is very common among the elderly with salivary gland stones. There are also cases occurring in infants in the first few weeks after birth. Without proper treatment, Sialadenitis can progress into serious infection most especially in the injured and elderly. [read more]
Sipple syndrome is a group of rare inherited disorders that causes the growth of tumors in several glands. It is also known as Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2. Tumors produced by this syndrome can either be benign or malignant. Sipple syndrome is a subtype of multiple endocrine Neoplasia producing tumors that generally occur in endocrine glands and sometimes in endocrine tissues. [read more]
Skin cancer builds up in the epidermis so the tumor is usually evident which makes cancer detectable in early stage. There are types of skin cancer which are named after the kind of skin cell that is affected. Types: - Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) - Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) - Malignant Melanoma [read more]
Skin cancer is a type of cancer characterized by abnormal growth of skin cells commonly affecting areas of the skin that are exposed to sunlight, including the lips, face, scalp, neck, ears, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. However, skin cancer may also occur in skin areas that are rarely exposed to the sun, such as the palms of hands, genital area, and spaces between toes. [read more]
Skin tags or fibroepithelial polyp is a tiny benign tumor that forms mainly in areas where the skin forms creases, like in the neck, groin and armpits. The size of the tumor may range from a grain of rice to the size of a golf ball. Its surface maybe smooth or has an unusual appearance. It is raised in the skin on a fleshy stalk referred to as peduncle. [read more]
Small Intestine Cancer is the cancer that grows in the intestine between the stomach and the colon which is responsible for digesting and absorbing nutrients. It includes adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, sarcoma and the carcinoids. [read more]
Soft tissue sarcoma is a type of malignant or cancerous tumor that grows in mesenchymal tissues including all muscles, connective tissues and bones present in the body. It can invade surrounding tissue and can spread to other organs of the body to form secondary tumors with cells similar to primary tumors. [read more]
Somatostatinoma is a rare endocrine pancreatic tumor that secretes excessive amount of somatostatin hormones. The tumor is closely associated with diabetes mellitus that produces symptoms such as hyperglycemia, malabsorption and excessive fat in feces. These tumors are malignant and are commonly located in the head of the pancreas. Chemotherapy by means of streptozocin, dacarbazine, and doxorubicin is the treatment for Somatostatinoma. [read more]
Spinal cord neoplasm is a growth or tumor located in the spinal cord which can be either benign or malignant. Spinal cord neoplasms often originate in other parts of the body and metastasize (spread or travel) to the spinal cord. [read more]
Spinal Stenosis is narrowing of the spinal canal. This condition puts pressure on the spinal cord. If the narrowing is located on the lower part of the spinal cord, it is referred to as lumbar spinal stenosis. Cervical spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing on the upper part of the spinal cord. However, there are also cases wherein stenosis can be found in any part of the spine. [read more]
Spinal tumor pertains to a potentially malignant mass growing at or near the spinal cord. Spinal tumors may be either cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign). [read more]
Spongiform encephalopathy is a rare inherited prion disease with a wide range of symptoms which are actual results of degeneration of the nervous system. [read more]
Squints, or strabismus, are an eye malfunction in which a child's eyes are not focused on the same direction. [read more]
Swelling of lymph nodes typically results from localized or systemic infection, abscess formation, or malignancy [read more]
Syringomas are harmless adnexal tumors derived from the intraepidermal portion of eccrine sweat ducts. Generally, they present as soft, flesh-colored to slightly yellow dermal papules on the lower eyelids of healthy individuals. [read more]
Cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a type of cancer of the immune system. [read more]
Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a compression, or squeezing, on the posterior tibial nerve that gives out symptoms anywhere along the path of the nerve. [read more]
Temporal lobe epilepsy is a form of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition marked by recurrent seizures. [read more]
Temporal lobe seizure is a type of complex partial seizure that is usually localized to one part of the brain. [read more]
Teratomas are tumors made up of more than a single cell type derived from more than one germ layer. [read more]
Testosterone deficiency or male hypogonadism is the body's insufficient production of the sex hormone testosterone. [read more]
Throat cancer is a type of carcinoma affecting the pharynx (which connects the mouth and the nasal cavity), vocal cords, and/or the larynx or voice box. [read more]
In medicine (oncology), thymoma is a tumor progressing from the thymus. It is made up of any type of thymic epithelial cell as well as lymphocytes that are typically abundant and probably not neoplastic. [read more]
Thymus cancer is a type of cancer that usually affects the small organ in the upper chest just below the breast bone known as the thymus. [read more]
Thyroid cancer refers to one of four kinds of malignant tumors of the thyroid gland: papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic. [read more]
Follicular thyroid carcinoma (abbreviated to FTC) is a well-differentiated tumor. In fact, FTC mirrors that of the normal microscopic pattern of the thyroid. FTC originates in follicular cells and is the second most commonly-found cancer of the thyroid after papillary carcinoma. [read more]
Papillary carcinoma is the more commonly-found and well-differentiated cancer of the thyroid. Papillary/follicular carcinoma should be considered a variant of the papillary thyroid carcinoma (mixed form). Despite its well-differentiated traits, papillary carcinoma may be overtly or minimally invasive. In fact, these tumors may spread easily to other organs inside the body. Papillary carcinoma appears as an irregularly-shaped solid or cystic mass in a normal thyroid parenchyma. [read more]
Tic douloureux or trigeminal neuralgia is a condition in which the trigeminal nerve function is disrupted. Sensation from the face to the brain is carried by the trigeminal nerve. [read more]
Originating in the kidney, bladder or ureter, Transitional cell carcinoma is a type of cancer and is the most common type of bladder cancer. The disease arises from the transitional epithelium lining found in said organs. [read more]
Treponema pallidum is a subspecies of the bacteria-like spirochete pallidum, which causes a highly contagious disease known as syphilis. [read more]
Gestational trophoblastic disease or also known as Trophoblastic neoplasms is a quick growing form of cancer that occurs in a woman's uterus after a pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion. The disease is usually metastatic, which means it spreads to other places in the body. It is also known as choriocarcinoma. [read more]
Also known as Gestational trophoblastic disease or Trophoblastic neoplasms a Trophoblastic tumor is a quick growing form of cancer that occurs in a woman's uterus after a pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion. The disease is usually metastasizes and spreads to other places in the body. It's other name is choriocarcinoma. [read more]
Tuberous sclerosis is also known as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). It is a rare, multi-system genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow in the brain and on other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs, and skin. The disease also has a predilection to tumor and the names are named after a characteristic abnormal growth in the brain, which takes the shape of a tuber root. [read more]
A genetic disease characterized by polyps in the colon in additions to tumors in the brain, Turcot syndrome is the association between familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. The first reported case was done by Canadian surgeon Jacques Turcot, hence, the name. Turcot syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner with both parents carrying a Turcot gene and a 1 in 4 risk for each of their boys and girls of receiving both parental Turcot genes and suffering from the syndrome. [read more]
An extremely rare malformation disorder, Upington disease only has one published source that claims its existence in three generations from South Africa. It is characterized by pelvic anomalies and multiple bone tumors. [read more]
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control which is often become embarrassing to the individuals affected by this condition where in an individual cannot control the release of urine from the bladder. Urinary incontinence severity ranges from urine secretion from simply coughing or sneezing to sudden, random episodes of strong urinary emergencies. [read more]
Urinary tract neoplasm means that a tumor that develops anywhere along the urinary tract. The urinary tract involves the kidneys, urethra and ureters. The tumor may be malignant or benign. [read more]
Uterine fibroids are seen in the muscle layers of the uterus which are benign tumors. During the reproductive years it affects about 25% of white women and 50% of black women it also the most common neoplasm in females. [read more]
Vaginal cancer is a rare form of carcinoma that affects the vagina, or the muscular tube connecting the uterus to the outer genitals. Most cases of vaginal cancer occur in the birth canal. [read more]
Vagina cancer is considered to be a very rare form of cancer that affects the vagina, especially the cells that use to line the surface of the vagina or otherwise known as the birth canal. This cancer usually affects women with ages 60 and up and can spread to other parts of the body. [read more]
VIPoma, otherwise known as the Verner Morrison Syndrome (Verner, J. V., and Morrison, A. B. (1958) Islet cell tumor and a syndrome of refractory watery diarrhea and hypokalemia. Am J Med 1958; 374) or Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide-oma, is a rare functional tumour of the pancreas which is characterized by the over production or producing excess amounts of VIP, which results in sever watery diarrhea, hypokalaemia and hypochlothydria (Buther, G. (2003) Gastroenterology: An Illustrated Colour Text, p. 60). [read more]
Vocal cord paralysis is a medical condition that primarily affects the person's ability to produce a sound and can be quite life-threatening since it affects the way you breathe. The paralysis usually occurs after a throat or neck surgery. Cancer of the thyroid, and lung tumors may also cause vocal cord paralysis. [read more]
Von Hippel-Lindau disease or VHL for brevity is a rare genetic condition which usually involves the unusual and abnormal growth of tumors in different parts of the body which is usually rich in blood supply. [read more]
Von Recklinghausen Disease otherwise known as the Neurofibromatosis type I (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by pigmented skin lesions, skin tumors that develop along the peripheral nerves, multiple spiral and cranial nerve tumors and associated gliomas and intracranial meningiomas (Bruce Ostlertt, et al. (2003) Disease of the Eye and Ski n: A Color Atlas, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, p.95). [read more]
Vulvar cancer pertains to a rare carcinoma affecting the vulva, the outer part of the female genitalia. It usually occurs in women aged 55-85, although it may sometimes affect females under 40 years old. [read more]
WAGR syndrome otherwise known as the WAGR complex, Wilms tumor-aniridia syndrome, aniridia-Wilms tumor syndrome, is a genetic disorder which affect children and made them to developed Wilms tumor, Aniridi, Genitourinary disorders and mental retardation. (Fischbach BV, Trout KL, Lewis J, Luis CA, Sika M (2005). "WAGR syndrome: a clinical review of 54 cases". Pediatrics 116 (4): 984-8). [read more]
Warts are small, rough tumor that is typically located on the hands and feet and can resemble a cauliflower or a solid blister. [read more]
Wilms tumor-aniridia syndrome otherwise known as the WAGR complex, aniridia-Wilms tumor syndrome, is a genetic disorder which affect children and made them to developed Wilms tumor, Aniridi, Genitourinary disorders and mental retardation. (Fischbach BV, Trout KL, Lewis J, Luis CA, Sika M (2005). "WAGR syndrome: a clinical review of 54 cases". Pediatrics 116 (4): 984-8). [read more]
Wilms' tumor otherwise known as the nephroblastoma, is a tumor which often leads to cancer of the kidneys that more frequently occurs in children. It is frequently detected to children between the ages of two and three and often manifests as a lump in the abdomen. [read more]
Yolk sac tumor, YST for brevity, and which is otherwise known as the Endodermal sinus tumor or the infantile embryonal carcinoma, is a type of germ cell tumor group of cancers and is said to be common to children under three years old. [read more]
It is an uncommon disease that results from a tumor referred to as gastrinoma which often occurs in the pancreas. The tumor then extracts the hormone that causes gastrin which in turn results to elevated growth of gastric acid which leads to extreme recurring ulcers of the esophagus, stomach and the upper portions of the small intestine. [read more]