Glossary of terms used on this site
There are 324 entries in this glossary.C
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Clinical trial |
An organized research program conducted with patients to evaluate a new medical treatment, drug or device. |
| Cocaine |
The most potent stimulant of natural origin, a bitter addictive anesthetic (pain blocker) which is extracted from the leaves of the coca scrub (Erythroxylon coca) indigenous to the Andean highlands of South America. |
| Colon |
The part of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum as a long hollow tube that serves to remove water from digested food and let the remaining material, solid waste called stool, move through it to the rectum and leave the body through the anus. |
| Colon cancer |
A malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon . Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer. |
| Complete blood count (CBC) |
A group of blood tests including hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count and white blood cell count. |
| Complication |
An undesirable result of a treatment, surgery, or medication. |
| Congenital anorgasmia |
A rare form of anorgasmia that is thought to be a product of an overly strict or repressive attitude toward sex. |
| Congestive heart failure |
An inability of the heart to adequately pump blood, leading to swelling and fluid in the lungs. |
| Corona |
The area of the penis just before the glans penis. |
| Corpora cavernosa |
Two chambers in the penis that run the length of the organ and are filled with spongy tissue. These chambers fill with blood to cause an erection. |
| Corpus spongiosum |
One of the three cylindrical structures in the penis. The urethra passes through the corpus spongiosum. It is not involved in erections. |
| Cryosurgery |
Treatment performed with an instrument that freezes and destroys abnormal tissue. |
| Cystectomy |
Surgery to remove the bladder. |
| Cystic fibrosis |
A common genetic disease inherited as a recessive condition. Thick mucus can clog the lung passages and block the ducts of the pancreas in cystic fibrosis. |