Dictionary

Mmetastatic brain tumor [meh tah stat´ ick] A secondary braintumor formed by cancer cells that began elsewhere in the bodyand traveled to the brain. Cancers that commonly spread to thebrain include: lung cancer; breast cancer; colon cancer;melanoma; kidney cancer. A metastatic brain tumor can appearanywhere in the brain or spine. Multiple tumors can occur.methylated [meth´ il-ated] (adjective). Methylation is the processof adding -CH3 (methyl) groups to specific DNA protein,which silences those genes and may contribute to tumor cellgrowth.MGMT Abbreviation for O6-methylguanine-DNAmethyltransferase, a gene thought to play a role in DNA repair.microenvironment [mi´ kro en-vi´ron-ment] A small, specialized,isolated environment at the microscopic or cellular level, forexample, the area immediately surrounding a tumor. Themicroenvironment plays a critical role in tumor initiation andprogression, and may be an important factor in developingtreatment approaches.microglia Tiny “scavenger” glial cells that play a role in theimmune functions of the brain.microspheres Controlled-release drugs in a capsule. They aredesigned to dissolve slowly and release their contents over apre-determined amount of time.microsurgery The use of a high-powered microscope duringsurgery. Microsurgery is widely used for brain tumor surgery.midbrain The short part of the brain stem between the pons andthe cerebral hemispheres.mitosis [my toe´ sis] Cell division.mitotic index/activity [my tot´ ik] An indication of how fast atumor is growing. The proportion of cells in a sample that areundergoing mitosis.mitotic inhibitor [my tot´ ik] Drugs that kill cancer cells byinterfering with cell division (mitosis).mixed glioma [glee o´ ma] These tumors contain a highproportion of more than one type of cell. Mixed gliomascommonly contain both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.Occasionally, ependymal cells are also found. They arecommonly grade II or III tumors. Also calledoligoastrocytoma.MMPI Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test.MMSE Mini Mental Status Exam. Used to assess cognitiveneuropsychological changes due to disease or its treatment.MoAB or MAB Monoclonal Antibodies.modality [moe dal´ ih tee] A method. Chemotherapy andsurgery are two different treatment modalities.molecular marker [muh leh´ kyoo ler] A biological moleculefound in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of anormal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease.A molecular marker may be used to see how well the bodyresponds to a treatment for a disease or condition.Also called biomarker and signature molecule.molecule [moll ek´ yule] The smallest amount of a specificchemical substance that can exist alone. If it is broken downinto its component parts, it is no longer recognizable. Forexample, if water (H2O) is broken down it becomes one atomof oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen.M7273