A-Z of medical terms
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
A
Abdomen
The part of the body underneath the ribs and above the hips.
Adenoma
A type of growth (polyp) in the bowel which can turn into cancer.
Adjuvant
A treatment or drug given with or after the main treatment to improve the chance of controlling the cancer.
B
Biological therapies
Drugs that change the way cancer cells work to stop them growing. Also called targeted therapies.
Biomarker testing
A test that looks for changes (known as mutations) in a group of genes to see which treatments may work and which ones are unlikely to work.
Biopsy
A sample of tissue taken to check for cancer.
Brachytherapy
Internal radiotherapy that uses a source of radiation inside the body for a short period of time.
C
Capecitabine
A type of chemotherapy drug, also known as Xeloda.
CAPOX
A combination of the following chemotherapy drugs:
- Capectibane
- Oxaliplatin
Chemotherapy
Treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Colon
The longest part of the large bowel, which ends just above the rectum.
Colonoscopy
A test that uses a long thin tube with a camera on the end to look inside the colon and rectum.
Colostomy
Where a section of the large bowel is brought out onto an opening on your abdomen, allowing output (waste) to pass into a pouch or bag.
CT scan
Computerised tomography scan.A scan that uses X-rays to take a series of pictures of the body.
E
Endoscopy
A test which uses a small thin tube with a camera to look inside the body.
F
FAP
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). A rare inherited bowel cancer syndrome that greatly increases the risk of getting bowel cancer. Causes a large number of growths (polyps) in the lining of the bowel.
Fluorouracil
A type of chemotherapy drug, also known as 5FU.
FOLFIRI
The name given to a combination of the following chemotherapy drugs:
- folinic acid
- fluorouracil (5FU)
- irinotecan
FOLFOX
The name given to a combination of the following chemotherapy drugs:
- folinic acid
- fluorouracil (5FU)
- oxaliplatin
G
Genes
A set of instructions that control how the cells in your body grow and work. Genes are inherited from your parents.
Grade
A way to describe how quickly a cancer might grow and spread. A low grade cancer may grow more slowly and is less likely to spread than a high grade cancer.
H
Hysterectomy
Surgery to remove the womb (uterus). A total hysterectomy removes the womb (uterus) and the cervix.
I
Ileostomy
Where a section of small bowel is brought out onto an opening on your abdomen, allowing bowel motions (poo) to pass into a pouch or bag.
Immunotherapy
A type of targeted treatment that helps your own immune system to destroy the cancer.
Irinotecan
A type of chemotherapy drug, also known as Campto.
L
Large bowel
Part of the digestive system made up of the colon and the rectum.
Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS)
A range of symptoms that can be caused by surgery on the rectum.
Lymph nodes
Small glands that make up part of the lymphatic system, which defends the body against infection. They are a common place for bowel cancer to spread to.
Lynch syndrome
A rare inherited condition that increses the risk of bowel cancer and some other cancers.
M
MAP
MUTYH associated polyposis (MAP). A rare inherited bowel cancer syndrome that causes growths (polyps) in the lining of the bowel and increases the risk of bowel cancer.
MDT
Multidisciplinary team. The healthcare professionals looking after you who meet regularly as a team.
Mismatch Repair (MMR) protein testing
A test that looks for levels of proteins called MMR proteins in the cancer. It can tell doctors whether you’re likely to have Lynch syndrome.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging. A scan that uses magnets to produce pictures of the body.
MSI testing
A test that looks for genetic changes in short sections of DNA called microsatellites. It can tell doctors whether you’re likely to have Lynch syndrome.
Microwave ablation
Treatment for bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. It uses heat from microwave energy to kill cancer cells.
N
Neo-adjuvant
Treatment used before the main treatment to improve the chance of controlling the cancer.
O
Oophorectomy
Surgery to remove the ovaries.
Oxaliplatin
A type of chemotherapy drug, also known as Eloxatin.
P
Pathologist
A doctor who looks at cells under a microscope to see how normal or abnormal they look.
Pelvis
The area of the body between the hips.
Polyp
A non-cancerous growth. Polyps can grow in the lining of the body’s organs, including the bowel. Some polyps may develop into cancer over time.
PET scan
Positron emission tomography. A scan that uses a low dose of radiation to take pictures of the whole body.
R
Radiofrequency ablation
Treatment for bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. It uses radio waves to heat cancer cells to a high temperature.
Radiotherapy
Treatment that uses high energy radiation to kill cancer cells.
RAS
A group of genes that a doctor might look at as part of a biomarker test. If the cancer has a normal RAS gene, it’s known as ‘RAS wild type’. If it’s abnormal, it’s called a ‘mutated RAS gene’.
Rectum
Part of the large bowel that sits between the colon and the anus. Bowel motions (poo) are stored here before passing out of the anus.
S
Selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT)
Treatment for bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. It involves injecting millions of tiny radioactive beads into the liver.
Sigmoidoscopy
A type of test called an endoscopy that uses a long thin tube with a camera on the end to look inside the rectum and sigmoid colon.
Stage
A way to describe the size of a cancer, where it is and how far it has spread.
Stereotactic radiotherapy
Treatment for bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. It uses a machine, called Cyberknife, to target high doses of radiotherapy to the tumour, while limiting the dose to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Stoma
An opening on the abdomen, where a section of bowel is brought out so output (waste) can be passed into a pouch or bag.
U
Ultrasound scan
A scan that uses sound waves to build up a picture of the body.
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Updated December 2025
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