CANCER LEGAL GLOSSARY

Sarcoma: A malignant tumor of muscles or connective tissue such as bone and cartilage. 

Side Effects: Secondary effects of drugs used for disease treatment. 

Sigmoidoscopy: The visual examination of the rectum and lower colon using a tubular instrument called a sigmoidoscope. 

Sputum: Secretions produced by the lungs. 

Staging: Determination of extent of the cancer in the body.

Steroids: A type of hormone. 

Stoma: An artificial opening between two cavities or between a cavity and the surface of the body.

Stomatitis: Temporary inflammation and soreness of the mouth.

Sarcoma: A cancer of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. 

Schiller Test: A test in which iodine is applied to the cervix. The iodine colors healthy cells brown; abnormal cells remain unstained, usually appearing white or yellow. 

Seminoma: A highly curable type of cancer in the testicles which grows slowly and rarely spreads to other areas of the body. 

Sertoli Cell Tumors: A main type of stromal tumor. Develop from the cells that nourish and support the germ cells. These rarely spread, but when they do intensive chemotherapy is necessary to treat them. 

Sigmoidoscopy: A visual examination of the lower portion of the colon and rectum. A slender, flexible, lighted tube is placed in the rectum and allows the doctor to look at the inside of the rectum and part of the colon for cancer or polyps. 

Small Cell Lung Cancer: A type of lung cancer in which the cells appear small and round when viewed under a microscope. Also called oat cell lung cancer. 

Small Intestine: The part of the digestive tract that is located between the stomach and the large intestine. Where the digestive processes occur. 

Soft Palate: The back muscular portion of the roof of the mouth. 

Spermatic Cord: Blood vessels and ducts from the testicles to prostate, seminal vesicles. 

Spleen: An organ that is part of the lymphatic system. The spleen produces lymphocytes, filters the blood, stores blood cells, and destroys old blood cells. It is located on the left side of the abdomen near the stomach. 

Sputum: Mucus coughed up from the lungs. 

Sputum Cytology: Sputum is studied to see if cancer cells from the lungs are present. 

Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion: A general term for the abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix. The changes in the cells are described as low grade or high grade, depending on how much of the cervix is affected and how abnormal the cells appear. 

Stem Cells: T he cells that all cells come from. Most frequently refers to blood cells but can be nervous tissue, heart, etc. 

Stomach: An organ that is part of the digestive system. It helps in the digestion of food by mixing it with digestive juices and churning it into a thin liquid. 

Stroma: The supporting framework of an organ, typically consisting of connective tissue. 

Strontium 89: A radioactive substance that is used for treatment of bone pain caused by metastatic cancer in bones, such as prostate, breast, etc. It is injected intravenously (into a vein), and is picked up by the metastatic site. 

Subcutaneous Injection: An injection which goes into the fatty tissue under the skin. 

Subglottis: The lowest part of the larynx; the area from just below the vocal cords down to the top of the trachea. 

Superficial: Affecting cells on the surface. Not invasive. 

Supraglottis: The upper part of the larynx (voice box), including the epiglottis; the area above the vocal cords. 

Systemic Therapy: Treatment that uses substances that travel through the bloodstream, reaching and affecting cells all over the body. 

Systemic Disease: A disease that affects the entire body instead of a specific organ. 

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