Glossary

The belly; the part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and pelvis.

One of the approved chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer, it inhibits cell division and promotes cell death. It is often given with gemcitabine.

Special cells in the pancreas that produce digestive enzymes.

Genetic changes that develop during a person’s lifetime, either as a random error made in DNA copying or as a result of harmful environmental factors.

Practice of inserting needles through the skin into specific points on the body to reduce pain or induce anesthesia.

Sudden, short-lived pain that subsides when healing occurs.

Cancer that begins with cells that line certain internal organs and have gland-like properties.

A drug that, when added to another drug, enhances the effects of pain medications.

A treatment given after surgery.

A document expressing a patient's choices regarding which types of care the patient wants and does not want and/or who will make medical decisions if the patient cannot do so.

An approved antineoplastic chemotherapy drug used to treat pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Procedure in which a local anesthetic is injected into the nerve root of the celiac plexus using guidance by ultrasonography or computed tomography to produce numbness or reduce pain.

Treatments that have not been scientifically tested and are used in place of traditional therapies. (See also Unconventional therapy.)

Enlargement of the ducts from the liver and pancreas at the point where they enter the small intestine; bile from the liver and secretions from the pancreas come through the ampulla of Vater to mix with food in the duodenum and aid digestion.

A drug that reduces pain; acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin are analgesics.

The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity of hemoglobin. Anemia diminishes the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen.

Formation of new blood vessels; some cancer treatments work by blocking angiogenesis, called antiangiogenesis, with the goal of slowing or preventing tumor growth.

A condition marked by a diminished appetite and aversion to food. Patients with advanced cancer may have anorexia-related weight loss, or wasting.

Proteins in the plasma and serum of the immune system that help the body fight infections. Also called immunoglobulin.

A drug that thins the blood to reduce the risk of blood clots.

Drugs used to prevent or treat seizures; they may also be used to enhance the effect of pain medications.

Drugs used to treat depression; they may also be used to enhance the effect of pain medications.

Drugs that help to prevent and control nausea and vomiting.

A cancer drug that prevents the "building blocks" of the genetic code from being used.

Human-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage.

Abnormal buildup of fluid in the belly area (abdomen) or pelvis.

Having no signs or symptoms of disease.