| Gardner syndrome: like familial adenomatous polyposis, Gardner syndrome is an inherited condition in which polyps develop at a young age and often lead to cancer. It can also cause benign (not cancerous) tumors of the skin, soft connective tissue, and bones. See APC gene, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis. |
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| gastric:
(gas-trick):
of or referring to the stomach |
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| gastroenterologist:
(gas-tro-en-ter-AHL-uh-jist):
a doctor who specializes in diseases of the digestive (gastrointestinal) tract, such as the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum. |
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| gastrointestinal tract:
(gas-tro-in-TEST-uh-nul):
the digestive tract. It is made up of those organs and structures that process and prepare food to be used for energy; for example, the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. |
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| gene: a piece of DNA that has information on hereditary traits such as hair color, eye color, and height, as well as susceptibility to certain diseases. See also DNA. |
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| gene therapy: a new type of treatment in which defective genes are replaced with normal ones. The new genes are delivered into the cells by viruses or proteins. |
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| genetic counseling: the process of counseling people who may have a gene that makes them more likely to develop cancer. The purpose of counseling is to explore what the genetic test results might mean, help them decide whether or not they wish to be tested, and to support them before and after the test. |
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| genetic counselor: a specially trained health professional who helps people as they consider genetic testing, as they adjust to the test results, and as they consider whatever screening and preventive measures are best for them. |
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| genetic testing: tests performed to see if a person has certain gene changes known to increase cancer risk. Such testing is not recommended for everyone, but for people with specific types of family history. Genetic counseling should be part of the genetic testing process. |
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| genome:
(jee-nome):
the total DNA in a single cell, representing all of the genetic information of the organism. |
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| germ cell: the reproductive cells of the body, that is, ova (eggs) or sperm. |
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| GI tract: see gastrointestinal tract |
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| glands: a cell or group of cells that produce and release substances used nearby or in another part of the body. |
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| Gleason grade: the most often used prostate cancer grading system is called the Gleason system. A pathologist assigns a Gleason grade ranging from 1 through 5 based on how much the cancer cells under the microscope look like normal prostate cells. Those that look a lot like normal cells are graded as 1, while those that look the least like normal cells are graded as 5. See also Gleason score, and grade. |
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| Gleason score: the combination of the two Gleason grades used in classifying each prostate cancer based on how the cells look under the microscope. Because prostate cancers often have areas with different grades, a grade is assigned to the two areas that make up most of the cancer. These two grades are added to give a Gleason score between 2 and 10. The higher the Gleason score, the faster the cancer is likely to grow and the more likely it is to spread beyond the prostate. Also known as the Gleason sum. |
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| grade: the grade of a cancer reflects how abnormal it looks under the microscope. There are several grading systems for different types of cancers. Each grading system divides cancer into those with the greatest abnormality, the least abnormality, and those in between.
Grading is done by a pathologist who looks at the tissue from the biopsy. It is important because cancers with more abnormal-appearing cells tend to grow and spread more quickly and have a worse prognosis (outlook).
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| graft versus host disease (GVHD): the condition that results when the immune cells of a transplant (usually a bone marrow transplant) from a donor attack the tissues of the person receiving the transplant. |
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| gray (Gy): the newer, international unit of measurement of radiation transfer. One gray equals 100 rads. (Therefore, one rad equals one centigray [cGy].) See also radiation dose |
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| growth factors: naturally occurring proteins that cause cells to grow and divide. Too much growth factor production by some cancer cells helps them grow quickly. New treatments to block these growth factors are being tested in clinical trials. Other growth factors help normal cells recover from side effects of chemotherapy. |
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| guaiac test:
(gwi-ack):
substance used to test the stool to see if it contains blood. |
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| gynecologic oncologist:
(guy-nuh-kuh-lah-jik):
a doctor who specializes in cancers of the female reproductive organs. |
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| gynecologist:
(guy-nuh-kahl-uh-jist):
a doctor who specializes in women's health. |
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