Go back to the index of this complete glossary to find the definition of all medical terms for cancers, treatments and health.
Cancer Glossary - K
- Kahler’s disease : A type of cancer that begins in plasma cells
(white blood cells that produce antibodies). Also called multiple myeloma,
myelomatosis or plasma cell myeloma.
- Kaposi's sarcoma : A type of cancer characterized by the abnormal
growth of blood vessels that develop into skin lesions or occur internally.
- Karenitecin : A drug being studied in the treatment of cancer.
It belongs to a family of drugs called topoisomerase inhibitors. It is related
to the anticancer drug camptothecin.
- Kava Kava : An herb native to islands in the South Pacific. Substances
taken from the root have been used in some cultures to relieve stress, anxiety,
tension, sleeplessness and problems of menopause. Kava kava may increase
the effect of alcohol and of certain drugs used to treat anxiety and depression.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises users that kava kava may cause
severe liver damage. The scientific name is Piper methysticum. Also called
intoxicating pepper, rauschpfeffer, tonga and yangona.
- Keloid : A thick, irregular scar caused by excessive tissue growth
at the site of an incision or wound.
- Kelp (Laminaria digitata) : A type of seaweed. The stem-like
parts of this plant have been used in some cultures to treat certain medical
problems. It may have immunostimulatory and anticancer effects.
- Keratoacanthoma : A benign (noncancerous), rapidly growing skin
tumor that usually occurs on sun-exposed areas of the skin and that can
go away without treatment.
- Kidney cancer : Cancer that forms in tissues of the kidneys.
Kidney cancer includes renal cell carcinoma (cancer that forms in the lining
of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste
products) and renal pelvis carcinoma (cancer that forms in the center of
the kidney where urine collects). It also includes Wilms’ tumor, which is
a type of kidney cancer that usually develops in children under the age
of 5.
My uncle died from kidney cancer due to excessive medications in order to not reject an organ transplant (which prolongued his life for about 20 years though)
- Killer cells : White blood cells that attacks tumor cells and
body cells that have been invaded by foreign substances.
- Klatskin tumor : Cancer that develops in cells that line the
bile ducts in the liver, where the right and left ducts meet. It is a type
of cholangiocarcinoma.
- Krukenberg tumor : A tumor in the ovary caused by the spread of stomach cancer.