Learning The Basics
99
Sézary syndrome (SS):
A leukemic type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Patients usually present with SS, but rarely patients with early-stage
mycosis fungoides develop SS. The presenting features of SS include
widespread redness and scaling of the skin (erythroderma), often with
severe itching. Lymph nodes are enlarged and the malignant T-cells
found in the skin are also found circulating in the bloodstream.
Stable disease:
The disease does not get better or worse following
therapy.
Stage:
The extent of cancer in the body including whether the disease has
spread from the original site to other body parts.
Standard therapy:
The most widely used primary therapy.
Stem cell therapy:
A therapy used in experimental stages in the treatment
of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Synergism:
The term used when two or more drugs given together
provide a better anti-cancer effect than expected from the additive effects of
each individual medication.
Systemic chemotherapy:
A chemotherapy regime that can be a single
agent drug or a combination chemotherapy. This type of therapy is usually
reserved for advanced stages (Stage III and IV) that are resistant to other
forms of therapy and administered orally or intravenously.
Targeted therapy:
A treatment that is directed to specific genes or
proteins (targets) unique or abnormally expressed in a cancer cell.
Thrombocytopenia:
A shortage of platelets in the blood, which reduces
the ability of the blood to clot.
Thymus gland:
A gland located behind the sternum (breastbone)
that enhances the reproduction and development of lymphocytes.
T-lymphocytes are processed in the thymus.
Glossary
