Glossary

Our extensive collection of web-based and other resources for patients, families, and caregivers provides easy access to information on a wide variety of subjects related to pancreatic cancer.

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There are currently 9 Terms in this directory beginning with the letter H.
Head of the pancreas
The widest part of the pancreas. It is found in the right part of the abdomen, nestled in the curve of the duodenum.
Healthcare proxy
A person chosen by the patient to make medical decisions for that patient.
Hepatic artery
A short blood vessel branching off the celiac artery. It brings oxygenated blood to the liver, pylorus of the stomach, pancreas, and duodenum.
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver.
Hereditary cancer
Cancer that is caused by a genetic abnormality that was passed from parent to child.
Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC; Lynch syndrome)
Syndrome in which there is a higher-than-normal chance of developing colon, pancreatic, uterine, stomach, or ovarian cancer.
Hereditary pancreatitis
Rare disease in which patients develop episodes of recurrent pancreatitis at an early age.
Homeopathic medicine
System of medicine based on the premise that “like cures like”; practitioners believe that a substance that produces a set of symptoms in a healthy person will, in small doses, cure those symptoms in a person with a disease.
Hospice
Concept of care that emphasizes palliative care rather than cures, quality of life over quantity, and comfort measures for patients provided at home, at a hospice facility, or in a hospital.