Glossary Terms

Abstinence

Not having sexual intercourse.

Adrenal glands

The adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. They make hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure and the way the body uses food.

Advanced Care Directives

These are written documents meant to communicate the conditions under which individuals wish to receive or refuse certain treatment or stop life-support treatment, in the event that they are no longer legally competent to make their own decisions.

Alkylating agents

A group of cancer medicines that can have a strong effect on fertility.

Alkylating chemotherapy drugs

Alkylating chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells by stopping them from dividing. Commonly used alkylating chemotherapy drugs include cyclophosphamide, busulphan, melphalan, mytomycin-C, and the platinum-based (cis-platinum, carboplatin) drugs. These drugs are used to treat slow-growing cancers.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

ADR is used to solve a problem between an employee and an employer through mediation or arbitration. In mediation, a neutral third party works with the employee and employer to find a solution. In arbitration, an arbitrator listens to the employer, employee and any witnesses and makes a decision for them.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in the job application process, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other privileges provided in the workplace.

Aromatase inhibitors

These medicines stop the body from producing the hormone estrogen. Aromatase inhibitors are used to treat most women with breast cancer, because estrogen makes the tumor grow. Aromatase inhibitors can also be used to treat infertility.

Asymptomatic

Having no signs or symptoms of disease or illness.

Atrophy

A decrease in size or wasting away of cells, tissue, organs or muscle.

Autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is a branch of the peripheral nervous system that controls most body functions that happen automatically. Examples include: blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, bowel and bladder function.

Axilla

The axilla is commonly known as the armpit. The lymph nodes that filter lymph fluid for the upper part of your body are located in the axilla. For the lower limbs, the filtering lymph nodes are located in the groin.

Axon

The long, hairlike extension of a nerve cell that carries impulses from the cell body to another nerve cell.