Glossary

This glossary is intended to assist with the understanding of patient information on this website.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

- One of a series of chemical messengers (also known as neurotransmitters) that carry messages across the junctions (synapses) between nerves, or between nerves and muscles or glands.

Adenoma

- A benign tumour of glandular tissue.

Adrenal glands

- Glands that are found just above each kidney. When these glands are stimulated by the pituitary gland (via adrenocorticotrophic hormone) they produce hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

- A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that regulates the function of the adrenal gland.

Aldosterone

- A hormone, secreted by the adrenal glands that helps regulate body fluid volume and blood pressure by regulating salt (sodium) excretion by the kidney.

Alopecia

- Loss of hair.

Anaemia

- Low numbers of red blood cells or a reduction in the quantity of haemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen, in red blood cells which occurs when the balance between blood loss and blood production is disturbed. Leads to a condition where the blood is unable to supply enough oxygen to the body.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH or vasopressin)

- A hormone that is stored and released from the pituitary that regulates water excretion by the kidney to maintain the correct body fluid and composition.

Apnoea

- Cessation of breathing.

Benign

- A tumour that is not cancerous and does not spread distantly.

Biopsy

- Removal and examination of a sample of tissue taken from the body in order to help make a diagnosis. Biopsies are usually carried out using a biopsy needle (passed through the skin into the tumour) under local anaesthetic which numbs the area that is being tested.

BoNT-A

- An abbreviation of botulinum toxin type A.

Botulinum toxin

- A neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, capable of blocking the release of acetylcholine from nerves.

Bromocriptine

- An example of a dopamine agonist given orally to treat acromegaly.

BTX-A

- An abbreviation of botulinum toxin type A.

Carcinoid syndrome

- A pattern of symptoms (diarrhoea, skin flushing, stomach pain) particularly associated with serotonin-secreting carcinoid tumours.

Carcinoid tumours

- The most common form of neuroendocrine tumour. Usually found in the gastrointestinal tract (digestive system) or lungs.

Clostridium botulinum

- A species of the Clostridium genus of bacteria. It is gram-positive, spore-forming and rod-shaped.

Cortisol

- A hormone, secreted by the adrenal cortex that is essential for life. Amongst its many important actions, it is required for normal metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and for the production of adrenaline (and noradrenaline) in response to stress. It also helps maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function and helps slow the immune system's inflammatory responses.

In addition, the levels of cortisol in the body affect sleep patterns and mood.

Crohn's disease

- An inflammatory bowel disease.

Cryotherapy

- This is the term used for the treatment of diseases by means of cold. It may reduce the size of certain tumours (by freezing them).

CT or CAT scan

- this is a type of x-ray of the inside of the body. CT stands for Computerised Tomography. The test may also be called a CAT (Computerised Axial Tomography) scan.

The scan displays detailed pictures of the body's internal organs on a computer screen. The pictures are cross-sections (slices) of the body.

Cyst

- An enclosed growth containing air, fluids or solid material that is not normally a part of the body where it is found.

Diabetes mellitus

- A disorder caused by too much sugar in the bloodstream. This happens when the body produces or uses less insulin than it needs. Insulin is the hormone needed to help the body use sugar to produce energy. If the excess sugar in the blood is not controlled, the sugar is passed into the urine together with large amounts of water, resulting in excessive thirst and frequency of urination.

Diabetes insipidus

- A disorder caused by a deficiency of antidiuretic hormone which is produced by the pituitary. This results in the kidneys being unable to reabsorb water so large amounts of fluid are lost in the urine. This excess loss of fluid causes a great thirst.

Dopamine agonist

- A compound that mimics the action of a natural neurotransmitter (dopamine) in the brain and suppresses the secretion of prolactin and growth hormone in acromegaly.

Endocrine glands

- Glands that produce and release hormones.

Endocrinologist

- A doctor that specialises in hormone conditions.

Endocrinology

- The study of endocrine glands and the function of hormones.

Endoscopy

- Inspection of the inside of the body (e.g. the colon, bladder, or stomach) using a tube called an endoscope.

Gall stones

- Stones that form in the gall bladder or bile duct that may cause abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting in some patients.

Gastrinoma

- A pancreatic tumour that results in over-production of gastric acid.

Gastritis

- Inflammation of the stomach.

Glucose tolerance test

- Testing the response of the body to high blood glucose.

Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa)

- Synthetic versions of a naturally occuring hormone called gonadotrophin releasing-hormone. Gonadotrophin releasing-hormone is produced from the pituitary gland and released by the hypothalamus in the brain and stimulates the production and release of other hormones that are essential for reproduction.

Growth hormone (GH)

- A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that regulates growth in children and affects protein, sugar and fat metabolism both in children and adults.

Growth hormone receptor antagonist

- A medicine that prevents growth hormone from binding to its receptor sites and is used to treat acromegaly.

Hydrocortisone (cortisol)

- Used as replacement therapy for cortisol in cases of hypopituitarism.

Hypertension

- High blood pressure.

Hypopituitarism

- A deficiency of one or more hormones produced by the pituitary gland.

Hypothalamus

- An area of the brain just above the pituitary gland, it regulates the release of hormones from the pituitary.

Hysterectomy

- Surgical removal of the uterus (womb).

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs)

- Naturally occurring compounds produced mainly by the liver, but also by many other tissues that mediate the typical growth hormone responses on cartilage, bone, muscle and fat tissues.

Insulinoma

- A pancreatic tumour that produces insulin resulting in low blood sugar levels.

Interferon

- A family of glycoproteins derived from human cells which normally has a role in fighting viral infections by preventing virus multiplication in cells. It can be used as an injected treatment that helps fight cancer by stimulating the body's natural defence system - the immune system.

Irritable bowel syndrome

- A bowel disorder characterised by recurrent cramp-like tummy pain and constipation or diarrhoea.

Lanreotide

- A somatostatin analogue available as a long-acting microparticle formulation and as a long-acting aqueous solution.

Laparoscopy

- A procedure where a slim, flexible surgical instrument (laparoscope) is passed into the abdomen through a small hole. The laparoscope allows the surgeon to look inside the abdomen, take a small sample (a biopsy) or perform small operations (keyhole surgery).

Luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)

- Also known as gonadotrophin releasing-hormone.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

- An imaging method that uses a magnetic field, radio waves and a computer to form a picture that is used to identify normal and diseased tissue.

Malignant

- Cancerous, able to metastasise.

Metabolism

- The chemical processes essential to life. These include the building up (anabolism) of proteins, sugars (or carbohydrates) and fats and the breaking down (catabolism) of these structures into more simple elements to provide energy.

Meta Iodo Benzyl Guanidine (mIBG)

- A substance that binds to some neuroendocrine tumours. It can be used to deliver a dye so that neuroendocrine tumours show on a scan or it can be used to deliver radiotherapy treatment for neuroendocrine tumours.

Metastasis

- The spread of cancer from one body site to another.

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1)

- An inherited disorder that is associated with over-activity of endocrine (hormone) cells in the pituitary gland, parathyroid gland or in the pancreas and which form a tumour. It is quite rare and genetic testing is available in specialist centres.

Neuroendocrine cells

- Specialised cells which secrete peptides more commonly associated with the central nervous system.

Non-functioning pituitary tumour

- A pituitary tumour that does not cause the signs and symptoms of excess hormone production but may result in headaches and loss of vision due to its increasing size.

Octreotide

- A somatostatin analogue available as a short-acting and as a long-acting microparticle formulation.

Osteoporosis

- Is a condition where the bones become porous, fragile and more at risk of breaking.

Pancreatic NETs

- Neuroendocrine tumours originating in the pancreas such as insulinomas, gastrinomas and VIPomas.

Pegvisomant

- A growth hormone receptor antagonist.

Peptic ulcer disease

- An ulcer in the wall of the stomach or the upper intestine, resulting from a breakdown in the protective lining of the stomach and intestine.

Peptides

- Natural compounds that form the constituent parts of proteins.

Pituitary gland

- An endocrine gland at the base of the brain that plays a central role in the regulation of many hormone secreting glands.

Progestogens

- Synthetic versions of a naturally occuring hormone called progesterone that are used in some contraceptive pills. Progesterone is a hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle.

Prolactin

- A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that is involved in breast development and regulates the production of breast milk. However, when produced in excess, prolactin suppresses the production of sex hormones (for example, oestrogen and testosterone) preventing ovulation and sperm production and reducing sexual libido.

Prostate

- A gland which is part of the male reproductive system, it surrounds the urethra just below the bladder.

Radiotherapy

- The treatment of disease by ionising radiation. This is either administered externally via a beam of radiation or internally via a targeted injection.

Secondary tumours

- A malignant tumour that develops in another part of the body, beyond the orginal cancer, as a result of metastasis (spreading).

Serotonin

- Serotonin is also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). It causes large blood vessels to constrict and small blood vessels to dilate, which can cause skin flushing. It is secreted by some types of neuroendocrine tumour.

Serotype

- A category into which material is assigned based on the nature of its ability to bind antibodies.

Somatostatin

- A naturally occurring hormone produced by the hypothalamus (a part of the brain). It inhibits the release of hormones and other body chemicals, including growth hormone.

Somatostatin analogues

- Synthetic (man-made) medicines which are very similar to somatostatin and are used in the treatment of acromegaly or NETs.

Somatropin

- Synthetic human growth hormone replacement therapy.

Subcutaneous

- Beneath the skin.

Systemic

- Circulating through the body.

Testosterone

- The major male sex hormone that is produced mainly in the testes.

Therapeutic embolisation

- Artery embolisation involves the injection of small particles or a chemical into the blood vessels supplying a tumour cutting off the blood supply to the tumour.

Thyroid gland

- A gland located at the base of the neck which, when stimulated by the pituitary gland, produces thyroxine.

Thyroxine

- Thyroxine regulates the level of energy production (metabolic rate) and is also essential for normal growth in children.

Tumour

- An abnormal growth of cells.

VIPoma

- A pancreatic tumour that produces a substance called vasoactive intestinal peptide.