Glossary - C

Carrier

Carrier-an individual heterozygous for a mutant allele that generally causes disease only in the homozygous state.

Cervical Cancer

Cervical Cancer is a cancer of the cervix, or neck of the uterus. It is one of the most common cancers accounting for 6% of all cancers in women. Women at a greater risk of getting cervical cancer have had sexual intercourse at an early age, multiple partners, more than five pregnancies, and a history of syphilis or gonorrhea, as well as women whose mothers took DES while pregnant. Preliminary data have also shown a link between the presence of two types of the human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer. The role HPV plays in cervical cancer though , is still unclear. There are usually no symptoms for cervical cancer in its earliest stages. The most common symptom, when the cancer is in an invasive, more advanced stage, is abnormal bleeding. The major screening procedure for cervical cancer is the pap smear. Other procedures that may be used in diagnosis include the Schiller test, colposcopy, colonization, and dilation and curettage.

Stages of cervical cancer:

Stage 0 or carcinoma in situ-very early cancer found in only the first layer of the cells of the lining of the cervix

Stage I-cancer is throughout the cervix but has not spread nearby

IA-a very small amount of cancer is deeper in the tissues of the cervix

IB-a larger amount of cancer is in the deeper tissues of the cervix

Stage II-cancer has spread to nearby areas but is still inside the pelvic area

IIA-cancer has spread beyond the cervix to the upper two- thirds of the vagina

IIB-cancer has spread to the tissue around the cervix

Stage III-cancer has spread throughout the pelvic area; it may have spread to the bones of the pelvis and/or gone into the lower part of the vagina; it also may have spread to block the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder (the ureters)

Stage IV-cancer has spread to other parts of the body

IVA-cancer has spread to the bladder or the rectum

IVB-cancer has spread to faraway organs such as the lungs

Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, general state of health of the patient, an other factors. Treatment is frequently surgery, including cryosurgery, colonization, hysterectomy, and other procedures. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may also be used

Cervical Polyp

Cervical Polyp are pedunculated masses, usually single, which vary in size from a few millimeters to 3 centimeters and protrude from the cervix. It is a fairly common disease in the United States, and is encountered most often between the ages of 30-50. The signs include intermenstrual bleeding, and post-coital spotting. In most cases the cause is unknown. Some causes include secondary reaction to cervical infection, erosion or ulceration. There are no known risk factors.

Chromatin

Chromatin-the nucleic acids and proteins of which chromosomes are made.

Chromophobe adenoma of the pituitary-

Chromophobe adenoma of the pituitary is a tumor of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland whose cells do not stain with either acid or base dyes. The tumor may be non-functioning or associated with hyperpituitarism including acromegaly or Cushing?s syndrome. The disease has an increased incidence after bilateral adrenalectomy.

Clone

Clone-a group of genetically identical cells derived by mitosis from a single ancestral cell.

Codon

Codon-a triplet of three bases in a DNA or RNA molecule, specifying a single amino acid.

Complementary DNA

Complementary DNA-DNA synthesized from an MRNA template using reverse transcriptase.

Concordant

Concordant- a twin pair in which both members exhibit the same traits.

Congenital telangiectatic erythema

Congenital telangiectatic erythema (Bloom's syndrome), is an autosomal recessive syndrome developing during infancy. Characteristics include erythema and telangiectasia, photosensitivity, and dwarfism. Its usual course is chronic; onset in infancy; decreased infection rate with age. Causes include chromosomal breakage, chromosomal instability, sister chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations.

Crohn's Disease

Crohn's Disease is an idiopathic inflammatory disease of the small intestine and colon involving all layers of the bowel. It is a slowly progressive and recurrent disease with a tendency to obstruct the bowel, fistulize, and involve adjacent structures in the inflammation. The gastrointestinal system is the only system affected. 15% of patients have first-degree relatives with inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, all monozygotic twins develop the disease in similar fashion. The incidence in the United States ranges between 20-100/100,000. It is more common in Caucasians than African Americans or Asians. It is also more common among Jews. The age range for this disease is between 15-25 years of age and the predominant sex affected is female, but only slightly. Symptoms of the disease include: diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, symmetrical arthritis, and Spondylitis. Causes of the disease include: idiopathic, aggravated by bacterial infection, inflammatory cascade and smoking cessation. Cigarette smoking is associated with this disease.

Cystinuria

Cystinuria is the impairment of renal tubular transport of amino acids.

 

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