The Furry Monkey

TERMINOLOGY - G



Harvesting
Removing tissue or cells from a donor and preserving them for transplantation.

Haematologist
A doctor who specialises in diseases of the blood and blood-forming tissues, including cancers such as Hodgkin's Disease, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and leukaemia.

Helipbacter Pylori
A bacteria that causes inflammation and ulcers in the stomach and is associated with MALT (Mucosa Associated Lymphoid Tissue) in the stomach.

Hemaglobin
The iron-containing protein found in the centre of a red blood cell that can bind to and transport oxygen.

Hematocrit or Hct (he-MAH-to-crit)
Describes the percentage by volume of red blood cells in whole blood drawn for a complete blood count (CBC).

Hickman Line
A special tube inserted under anaesthetic through the chest into a large vein, so that chemotherapy drugs can be fed directly into the bloodstream. It can stay in place for months and means that needles do not have to be used during treatment.

High Dose Therapy
Uses large doses of anti cancer treatment to eradicate all tumour cells but also causes damage to the blood producing cells in the bone marrow. Stem cell (a peripheral blood stem cell transplant - PBSCT) or bone marrow cells (a bone marrow transplant - BMT) put back into the blood stream to replace the damaged marrow is required.

High-grade or Aggressive Lymphomas
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma's are often classified as high-grade aggressive lymphomas because these tumours can generally grow very rapidly and treatment is needed soon after diagnosis. Although people with more aggressive lymphomas often require more immediate intensive treatment, their cancers may be curable.

Hystiocytic Lymphomas
The old Rappaport classification for the form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma now known as large cell lymphoma.

Histology
The study of tissues to determine their specific characteristics, which may lead to identifying a specific type of Hodgkin's disease or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It is often used to mean tissue characteristics.

Hodgkin's Disease
One of the two major types of lymphomas that begin in the lymph nodes, organs and tissues of the lymphatic system. All other lymphomas are classified as Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas.

Hospice
A place that cares for terminally ill patients and their families.

Human leukocyte antigens or HLAs
The proteins on the surfaces of white blood cells that characterize white blood cells from different individuals. A set of 6 antigens used to match a blood or bone marrow donor to a recipient. These antigens appear on white blood cells as well as cells of almost all other tissues and are analogous to red blood cell antigens (type A, B, O, etc.) By typing for HLA antigens, donors and recipients of white blood cells, platelets, and organs can be matched to ensure good performance and survival of transfused and transplanted cells.

Hypogeusia
When the flavours of foods are not as strong as normal.

Hypothyroidism
A condition in which there is lower than normal production of thyroid hormone. Low thyroid levels can lead to a variety of effects, including weight gain and sleepiness.