Cancer Legal Glossary: T

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Tamoxifen: An anticancer drug that belongs to the category of drugs called antiestrogens. Tamoxifen blocks the effects of the hormone estrogen in the body. It is used to prevent or delay the return of breast cancer or to control its speed.

Taste Alteration: A temporary change in taste perception.

Testes: Also called testicles. The two egg-shaped glands found inside the scrotum. They produce sperm and male hormones.

Testicular Self-Examination (TSE): A simple manual self-examination of the testes.

Testosterone: A hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of male sex characteristics.

Therapeutic: Used to treat disease and help healing take place.

Thoracentesis: A procedure to remove fluids from the area between the two layers (pleura) covering the lung.

Thrombocytopenia: An abnormally low number of platelets (thrombocytes). If the platelet count is too low then bleeding could occur.

Thymus: An organ that is part of the lymphatic system, in which T lymphocytes grow and multiply. The thymus is in the chest behind the breastbone.

Tonsils: Small masses of lymphoid tissue on either side of the mouth.

Tracheoesophageal Puncture: A small opening made by a surgeon between the esophagus and trachea. A valve keeps food out of the trachea but lets air into the esophagus for esophageal speech.

Tracheostomy: A surgical opening through the trachea in the neck to provide an artificial airway.

Transitional Cell Carcinoma: Accounts for about 9 out of 10 cases of bladder cancer. This type of bladder cancer begins in the transitional cells that line the bladder.

Transitional Cells: Cells that vary in shape depending on whether the tissue is being stretched. The cells may be stretched without breaking apart. They line hollow organs such as the bladder.

Transrectal Ultrasonography: Sound waves are emitted by a probe in the rectum to produce an image, or sonogram, of the prostate.

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate: An operation in which the surgeon removes part of the prostate gland that surrounds the urethra. TURP is most often used to treat men with non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. In addition, TURP is maybe used as part of the treatment of men who cannot undergo radical prostatectomy because of advanced age or other illness.

Transvaginal Ultrasound: A procedure used to examine the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and bladder. An instrument is inserted into the vagina, and sound waves bounce off organs inside the pelvic area. These sound waves create echoes, which a computer uses to create a picture called a sonogram. Also called TVS.

Tumor: An abnormal overgrowth of cells. Tumors can be either benign or malignant.

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