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Mesothelioma Help Center - Mesothelioma Dictionary

Mesothelioma Dictionary

Mesothelioma Dictionary of Legal & Medical Terms
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N

Naive T-Cell
A subset of CD4 and CD8 cells that proliferate rapidly when exposed to new antigens. Naive cells are "uncommitted" and respond to general antigenic stimulation.
Narcotic (Opiate)
A class of drugs (e.g., heroin, codeine, methadone) that are derived from the opium poppy plant, contain opium, or are produced synthetically and have opium-like effects. Opioid drugs relieve pain, dull the senses and induce sleep.
Necrosis
Death of a tissue, cell or organ.
Needle Aspiration
A type of needle biopsy. Removal of fluid from a cyst or cells from a tumor. In this procedure, a needle is used to reach the cyst or tumor, and with suction, draw up (aspirate) samples for examination under a microscope. If the needle is thin, the procedure is called a fine needle aspiration or FNA. (See also biopsy.)
Needle Biopsy
Removal of fluid, cells, or tissue with a needle for examination under a microscope. There are two types: fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsy. FNA uses a thin needle to draw up (aspirate) fluid or small tissue fragments from a cyst or tumor. A core needle biopsy uses a thicker needle to remove a cylindrical sample of tissue from a tumor.
Needle Localization
A procedure used to guide a surgical breast biopsy when the lump is hard to locate or when there are areas that look suspicious on the x-ray but there is not a distinct lump. A thin needle is placed into the breast. X-rays are taken and used to guide the needle to the suspicious area. The surgeon then uses the path of the needle as a guide to locate the abnormal area to be removed.
Negligence
Failure to exercise the care toward others which would reasonably be expected of a person in the circumstances, or taking action which a reasonable person would not.
Neonatal
Newborn baby.
Neoplasia
An abnormal state, characterized by the growth and development of benign or malignant tumors.
Neoplasm
An abnormal growth (tumor) that starts from a single altered cell; a neoplasm may be benign or malignant. Cancer is a malignant neoplasm.
Nerve Growth Factor
A substance that sustains nerves and promotes the regeneration of damaged nerves. Recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) is used to treat peripheral neuropathy.
Neuroleptic
A drug that acts on the nervous system and modifies psychotic behavior.
Neurologic
Pertaining to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or the peripheral nervous system (the nerves in the rest of the body).
Neuron (Nerve Cell)
A cell that conducts electric neural impulses from one part of the body to another.
Neuropathy
A problem in peripheral nerve function (any part of the nervous system except the brain and spinal cord) that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, and muscle weakness in various parts of the body. Neuropathies may be caused by physical injury, infection, toxic substances, disease (e.g., cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, or malnutrition), or drugs such as anticancer drugs. Also called peripheral neuropathy.
Neurotransmitter
A chemical messenger (e.g., dopamine, serotonin) used to communicate among neurons and between neurons and other types of cells.
Neutropenia
A decreased number of neutrophils; a type of white blood cell.
Neutrophil
A type of white blood cell involved in defense against bacteria and fungi.
Nitric Oxide
A reactive oxygen intermediate (free radical) that has several biological functions.
Nodal Status
A small, solid lump that can be located by touch.
Node
Literally a knot, a node is a collection of tissue. For example a lymph node, is a collection of lymphoid tissue. A nodule is a small node, a little collection of tissue.
Nodule
A small, solid, slightly raised area.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)
A cancer of the lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is related to Hodgkin's disease but is made up of different cell types. See Lymphoma.
Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI)
A drug (e.g., delavirdine, nevirapine) that inhibits the action of the retroviral reverse transcriptase enzyme, thus blocking viral replication, yet works in a different way than nucleoside analog drugs.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)
A drug (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen) that relieves pain and reduces inflammation and fever, but which is not a steroid or a narcotic.
Nuclear Medicine Scan
A method for localizing diseases of internal organs such as the brain, liver, or bone. Small amounts of a radioactive substance (isotope) are injected into the bloodstream. The isotope collects in certain organs. A scintillation camera is used to produce an image of the organ and detect areas of disease.
Nucleoside Analog (NA)
A compound (e.g., AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T, 3TC) that mimics one of the building blocks of DNA. These compounds suppress retroviral replication by interfering with the reverse transcriptase enzyme; the synthetic nucleosides cause premature termination of the viral DNA chain.
Nucleotide
One of the building blocks that make up the genetic material (DNA and RNA). Nucleotides consist of a base (adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymine or uracil), a sugar and a phosphate group.
Nucleous
A central mass in all living organisms that contains the genetic material for formation and growth.
Nucleus (new-clee-us): The center of a cell where the DNA is housed and replicated. Studying the size and shape of a cell's nucleus under the microscope can help pathologists distinguish cancer cells from benign cells.
Nurse Practitioner
A registered nurse (RN) who has completed additional courses and specialized training. Nurse practitioners can work with or without the supervision of a physician. They take on additional duties in diagnosis and treatment of patients, and in many states they may write prescriptions. (See also oncology nurse specialist.)

Disclaimer: Mesothelioma Help Center’s Dictionary of Legal & Medical Terms is not designed to provide medical advice or professional services and is intended to be for educational use only. The information provided through Mesothelioma Help Center is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor. If you need legal help you should consult an experienced mesothelioma lawyer.

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Mesothelioma Symptoms

The most common Mesothelioma symptoms are the following:

Recent onset of shortness of breath (31%)
Recent increase in shortness of breath (30%)
Chest pain (43%)
 
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