Medical terms. Medical Definition of Cancer and aids.

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).

Cancer is not one disease. It is a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases.

Cancer can involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each body area. Most cancers are named for the type of cell or organ in which they start. If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), the new tumor bears the same name as the original (primary) tumor.

The frequency of a particular cancer may depend on gender. While skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy for both men and women, the second most common type in men is prostate cancer and in women, breast cancer.

Cancer frequency does not equate to cancer mortality. Skin cancers are often curable. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women in the United States today.

Cancer is the Latin word for crab. The ancients used the word to mean a malignancy, doubtless because of the crab-like tenacity a malignant tumor sometimes seems to show in grasping the tissues it invades. Cancer may also be called malignancy, a malignant tumor, or a neoplasm (literally, a new growth).

AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a syndrome caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with ensuing compromise of the body's immune system. Features include deficiency of certain types of leukocytes, especially T cells; infection with opportunistic infections that take advantage of the impaired immune response, such as tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, human herpes virus, or toxoplasmosis; certain types of cancer, particularly Kaposi sarcoma; inability to maintain body weight (wasting); and in advanced cases, AIDS dementia complex. Treatment for AIDS has advanced rapidly. Antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting medications, among other treatments, are part of current treatment protocols.

Medical abbreviations

EG abb	EG full name
ACTH	adrenocorticotropic hormone
AIDS	Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
ALT	alanine aminotransferase
BMR	basal metabolic rate
BP	blood pressure
COPD	chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
ECG	electrocardiogram
Hb	hemoglobin
P	phosphorus; pressure
Pao2	arterial oxygen partial pressure
po	orally
RBC	red blood cell
WBC	white blood cell
wt	weight

Conclusion

Medical translation is the most widespread and old sphere of academic translations due to ubiquitous distribution of medicine and because this area of scientific knowledge is elucidated down the centuries. That fact that practically all terminology in medicine is of a Greek-Latin origin considerably facilitates the translator's job. Advantage of such area as "medical translation" over that sphere of "technical translation" is that the body structure is identical for all people worldwide, and indeed a variety and richness of reference materials on any subject will please any translator. Therefore, translation of medical texts, translation of the reference or clinical record will not cause difficulties for a skilled translator, but will require time and efforts.

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