Glossary of terms used on this site
There are 324 entries in this glossary.B
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Benign |
Not cancer. Not malignant. A benign tumor does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor may grow but it stays put (in the same place). |
| Benign prostatic hyperplasia |
Noncancerous enlargement of the prostate. |
| Bilateral |
Both sides. |
| Biopsy |
The removal of small sample(s) of tissue for examination under the microscope. |
| Bladder |
Any pouch or other flexible enclosure that can hold liquids or gases but usually refers to the hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine - the urinary bladder. The kidneys filter waste from the blood and produce urine, which enters the bladder through two tubes called ureters. Urine leaves the bladder through another tube, the urethra. In women, the urethra is a short tube that opens just in front of the vagina. In men, it is longer, passing through the prostate gland and then the penis. Infection of the bladder is called cystitis. |
| Bladder cancer |
A common form of cancer that begins in the lining of the bladder as a superficial tumor (carcinoma in situ). The most common warning sign is blood in the urine. If there is enough blood to color the urine it may range from slightly rusty to deep red. Other symptoms may be pain during urination and frequent urination or feeling the need to urinate without results. |
| Bloody ejaculation |
See Hematospermia. |
| Brachytherapy |
Radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly in or near the target, which is often a tumor. |
| Brain |
That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called ""hemispheres"". |
| Butterfly needle |
A small needle that has tubing attached to it. |
| Bypass |
An operation in which a surgeon creates a new tubular pathway for the movement of fluids and/or other substances in the body. |