Mesothelioma - Glossary
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Echocardiogram
- A diagnostic procedure that uses sound waves to create a picture of the human heart. Echocardiograms are favored because of their detail and lack of radiation.
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Endoscope
- An optic instrument that is inserted through an incision. Endoscopes are generally illuminated and their findings broadcast on a television screen during the procedure.
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EPA
- Environmental Protection Agency; a U.S. government agency dedicated to safeguarding natural resources and the environment.
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Epidemiological
- Studies of the occurrence of disease in specific populations.
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Epidemiology
- The study of a widespread, rapidly spreading disease; the study of diseases' causes and manifestations.
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Epidural catheter
- A means of conveying short-term relief after mesothelioma surgery. The catheter allows anesthetic to be injected into the space between the spinal cord covering and the wall of the spinal canal.
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Epithelial
- Cells that compose the linings of the internal and external surfaces of the human body. Epithelial cells line the lungs and are most likely to be affected by mesothelioma.
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Esophagitis
- Inflammation of the esophagus. A common complication of mesothelioma surgery.
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Etiology
- The study of the causes and origins of diseases and the ways in which they function.
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Exposure
- Contact with a harmful substance. Exposure may be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
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External-beam operation
- A form of cancer treatment in which high-energy radiation is aimed at cancer cells. Also called external radiation, the procedure is used after lung removal in mesothelioma patients.
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Extrapleural pneumonectomy
- A surgical procedure used to treat malignant mesothelioma in which a diseased lung is removed along with parts of the pericardium, parietal pleura, and diaphragm.






