Fatigue
A decreased capacity for activity that is often accompanied by feelings of weariness, sleepiness or irritability.
Generalized disease
A cancer that has spread throughout the body.
Genes
The basic building blocks of heredity that, are present in all cells. Genes are comprised of DNA and other materials.
Grade
A method of classifying a tumor on the basis of how aggressively it is growing.
Graft versus host disease (GVHD)
Occurs when a donor’s bone marrow (graft) recognizes the recipient of the marrow (host) as foreign. In response, the immune cells in the donor marrow attack the cells in the host. This is a side effect of bone marrow transplantation.
Harvesting
A procedure in which stem cells are obtained from the blood or bone marrow for use in repopulating the body’s cells are high-dose chemotherapy.
Hematologist
A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the blood and blood-forming tissues.
Histology
The study of tissue characteristics that may lead to identifying a specific type of tumor.
Idiotype
A unique “fingerprint” portion of an antibody present on the surface of B-cells.
Idiotype vaccine
A lymphoma vaccine that is custom made to attack an individual patient’s lymphoma and contains an idiotype (unique) tumor materials and an immune stimulant.
Immune system
One of the body’s defense mechanisms involved in fighting infections and recognizing foreign tissues. All CTCLs and lymphomas are diseases of the immune system.
Immunological tests
Blood tests that detect the presence of diagnostic proteins or antigens on a tumor.
Immunotherapy
See biologic therapy.
Indolent lymphoma
Lymphoma that is slow-growing and has few symptoms. Also called low-grade lymphoma.
Interferon
A systemic therapy that has been shown to be very effective in treating CTCL. (Intron® and Roferon are name brands of interferon).
Interferons
Naturally occurring compounds that stimulate the immune system in infections and inflammation. Sythnetic forms are used to treat viral infections, autoimmune diseases and cancers.
Intron®A
A systemic therapy that has been shown to be very effective in treating CTCL. (Intron® is a name brand of interferon).