A

Abdomen

The lower part of the body between the chest and hips, which contains major organs involved with digestion, bowel motions, and reproduction, including the stomach, liver, bowel, kidneys and bladder.

Adenoma

A benign tumour (not a cancer) that starts in gland tissue or has a gland-like appearance.

Advanced cancer

Cancer that has spread from the original cancer (metastasised) to other organs.

Anaemia

A reduced amount of the substance (haemoglobin) in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the blood. Anaemia can cause tiredness and fatigue, breathlessness and paleness.

Anaesthetic

A drug given to stop a person feeling pain. A ‘local’ anaesthetic numbs part of the body; a ‘general’ anaesthetic causes temporary loss of consciousness.

Analgesic

A drug that relieves pain.

Anastomosis

The joining together of two tubes, such as two cut ends of the bowel.

Anus

The entrance to the back passage, through which bowel motions are passed.

Asymptomatic

When a disease may be present but it is not causing and displaying and symptoms.

B

Barium Enema

Barium sulphate is passed into the lower bowel through the anus. X-rays are then taken and the barium clearly outlines the bowel, showing up any abnormalities.

Barrett’s oesophagus

Barrett’s oesophagus occurs when excessive amounts of stomach acid reflux back into the oesophagus and the lining changes as a result. The lining becomes more like the lining of the stomach which is better able to resist damage by acid.

Benign

Not cancerous. Benign cells do not spread like cancer cells.

Biopsy

The removal of a small sample of tissue from the body for examination under a microscope to help in diagnosing a disease.

Bloating

Full, uncomfortable feeling in abdomen. Can be caused by gas, eating in excess or constipation.

Bowel

The part of the digestive system that extends from the stomach to the anus including the large and small bowel. Also known as the large and small intestine.

Bowel cancer

A cancer that starts on the inside wall of the bowel, usually affecting the colon or rectum (large bowel).

Bowel motions

Waste that remains after food has been digested and nutrients have been taken into the body. Bowel motions are passed from the body out of the anus. Also called ‘faeces'.

Bowel preparation

An enema and/or oral medication to clean out the bowel.

C

Cancer

A disease of the body’s cells, where gene damage causes cells to multiply without control. They may grow into a tumour and spread into surrounding tissue, and/or move to new sites and form other tumours.

Cells

The ‘building blocks’ of the body. A human is made of millions of cells, which are adapted for different functions.

Chemotherapy

The use of drugs to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or making them sensitive to radiation.

Cholecystectomy

Removal of the gall bladder. In the past this was done with an incision in the abdominal wall and was known as an open cholecystectomy. Nowadays a cholecystectomy is carried out with a procedure where several very tiny cuts are made in the abdominal wall and special long thin instruments are used and this is known as a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Using this technique the patient is usually out of hospital much more quickly and has less post-operative discomfort.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gall bladder.

Coeliac disease

A condition in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged by foods containing gluten, such as wheat products. The damaged bowel is not able to absorb food properly leading to a condition called malabsorption. Apart from causing diarrhoea coeliac disease may also cause anaemia because of problems absorbing iron and folic acid and it may cause osteoporosis. There is a simple blood test to suggest that the disease is present but the diagnosis needs to be confirmed with a duodenal biopsy. The diagnosis should be confirmed before starting on a gluten free diet.

Colectomy

A surgical operation in which part or all of the large bowel or colon is removed.

Colic

Abdominal pain coming from the large or small intestine. Typically the pain comes and goes like a labour pain.

Colitis

Inflammation of the colon and rectum. The symptoms are usually diarrhoea and pain in the lower abdomen. In ulcerative colitis, ulcers also form in the area.

Colon

The main part of the large bowel. It removes water and other substances from undigested food passed from the small bowel, and moves the bowel motions toward the rectum.

Colonoscopy

A test to examine the bowel. A long, slim, flexible tube, with a light attached, is inserted through the anus, and examines the bowel.

Colorectal cancer

See bowel cancer.

Colostomy

An opening into the colon from the outside of the body. A colostomy provides a new path for waste material to leave the body after the colon has been removed.

Constipation

Condition where the stools are passed less frequently and are hard.

Crohn's disease

A chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the small and large intestines, but can also involve other parts of the digestive system. Although there are many theories the exact cause remains unknown. There are effective medications to help control the disease and sometimes surgical operations may be needed.

CT Scan

The technique for constructing pictures from cross-sections of the body, by x-raying the part of the body to be examined from many angles

D

Diarrhoea

Passing frequent, watery bowel motions or stools.

Digestion

The breaking down of food into tiny particles that can be absorbed through the wall of the intestine.

Digestive Tract

The organs that are responsible for getting food into and out of the body and for making use of food to keep the body healthy. These include the stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, small bowel, colon and rectum.

Diverticulum

This is a little out-pouching through the wall of the intestine, usually in the large bowel or colon although it can occur in other parts of the gut such as the oesophagus, the stomach or the small intestine.

Duodenum

The first part of the small bowel. It receives bile from the gall bladder and pancreatic juice from the pancreas.

Dysplasia

A change in the size, shape and arrangement of normal cells. Dysplastic cells are abnormal but are not cancerous. They may progress into cancer.

E

Endorectal ultrasound

When a cancer is found in the rectum by other tests, a tranducer is inserted into the rectum to see how large the cancer is, and whether it has spread.

Endoscope

An instrument for examining the inside of the body. It is a long hollow tube with a light and camera attached. It can project magnified pictures of internal organs, and instruments can be inserted through the tube, if needed.

Enema

Where fluid is passed into the bowel via the anus (or stoma) in order to cause a bowel action.

Enteritis

Inflammation of the lining of the small intestine.

F

Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)

A newer version of Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBtest), with a more user-friendly sampling procedure. Unlike other FOBtests, the patented brush requires no faecal handling. Also, FIT has no dietary or medicinal restrictions, and requires only two samples. Further, FIT offers improved specificity, since it does not react with things like vitamins, drugs, or food.

Faecal incontinence

Occurs when you are not able to control the release of faeces/stool/bowel motions from the rectum. It commonly occurs because of damage to the anal sphincter muscle.

Faeces

See bowel motions.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP)

A hereditary condition that causes hundreds of small growths (polyps) in the bowel of the person affected. If left untreated, FAP always turns into bowel cancer.

Fissure

A tear or crack, particularly a fissure in ano which means a tear at the anus. This can be extremely painful and the tear usually occurs when a very hard, constipated bowel motion is passed. As a result of the tear the sphincter muscle around the anus may go into spasm.

Fistula

This is an abnormal passage between two organs (such as in a bowel inflammation known as Crohn’s disease when two inflamed pieces of intestine may stick together) or between an organ and the outside of the body (again such as in Crohn’s disease when an abnormal narrow passageway may pass from the rectum to the area around the anus). This region around the anus and the vagina in females or the scrotum in males is referred to as the perineum. Typically inflammation or infection is involved in the process of fistula formation. Sometimes it can be very hard to get fistulas to heal over and sometimes fistulas are deliberately kept open so that they will continue to drain and reduce the chance that they will lead to abscess formation when they are not able to drain properly.

Flatulence

The passage of gas from the gut out through the anus.

Flatus

An accumulation of gas in the stomach or intestines.

G

Gastrointestinal Tract

The gut. It starts at the stomach and includes the large intestine and small intestine (also called the large bowel and small bowel). See Bowel.

Genes

The tiny factors that control the way the body’s cells grow and behave. Each person has a set of many thousands of genes inherited from both parents. Genes are found in every cell of the body.

H

Haemorrhoidectomy

An operation where haemorrhoids are cut out. This is often painful for the patient and these days are less common although it may still be needed when haemorrhoids are very large and have been there for a long time. Fortunately it is usually possible to treat the haemorrhoids much more simply with a procedure known as band ligation.

Haemorrhoids

Enlarged blood vessels on or just inside the anus, usually caused by long periods of constipation or prolonged straining (such as after childbirth. (also called 'piles').

Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC)

A condition in some families where the tendency to develop bowel (and some other) cancers is inherited. About 1% of all bowel cancer is due to HNPCC.

I

Ileostomy

Similar to a colostomy, but the operation brings part of the small bowel to an opening in the abdomen so waste material may leave the body.

Iliitis

This is inflammation of the pelvic bone known as the ilium and it usually occurs where the ilium joins on to another bone called the sacrum which is in the lower part of the spine and this condition is called sacro-iliitis. An interesting connection with gastroenterology is that sacro-iliitis can occur in some people who have inflammatory bowel disease.

Intestine

See bowel.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder of the intestine that affects motility and causes abdominal pain, bloating and irregular bowel movements (constipation and/or diarrhoea). It used to be known in the past as spastic colon or colitis or irritable colon. IBS should not be confused with irritable bowel disease (IBD). IBS is one of the commonest gastrointestinal disorders.

Ischaemia

This is the damage that occurs to a part of the body when there is interference with blood supply and this can result in death or necrosis of body tissue.

Ischaemic colitis

Inflammation of the colon due to decreased blood supply. This can result symptoms such as pain and diarrhoea mixed with blood.

L

Laparoscopy

Surgery or examination using instruments which are passed into the body through small cuts in the skin.

Laparotomy

An operation in which a long cut is made in the abdomen.

Large Bowel

The lower part of the digestive system, which consists of the colon and rectum. Also called the large intestine.

Laxative

Something to stop constipation.

Lower oesophageal sphincter

This is sometimes known as the LES. It is a thick ring of muscle around the lower oesophagus that relaxes to allow food to go down but then stays closed most of the time to prevent stomach contents from slopping back uphill, a condition known as gastro oesophageal reflux. When the sphincter muscle doesn’t work properly it may cause gastro oesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD for short. A common symptom of GERD is a burning sensation in the middle of the chest known as heartburn.

Lymph Nodes

Small, bean-shaped structures which form part of the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes filter the lymph to remove bacteria and other harmful agents, such as cancer cells. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system. It is a network of small lymph nodes connected by very thin lymph vessels, which branch into every part of the body.

M

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A diagnostic test that uses a combination of magnetism and radio waves to build up detailed cross-section pictures (or images) of part of a person’s body. The test involves lying on a couch inside a metal cylinder (which forms a very large magnet) that is open at both ends. It may take up to one hour to complete, but is completely painless.

Malignant

Cancerous. Malignant cells can spread (metastasis) and can eventually cause death if not treated.

Metastases

Also known as ‘secondaries’. Tumours or masses of cells that develop when cancer cells break away from the original (primary) cancer and are carried by the lymphatic and blood systems to other parts of the body.

O

Occult

“Occult” means “hidden”, as in hidden blood in the faecal matter (bowel motion). The word is used in tests such as faecal occult blood test (FOBT). Occult is not an actual cancer but can indicate a bleeding bowel cancer or polyp.

Occult bleeding

Occult means hidden. Occult bleeding commonly refers to the loss of small amounts of blood in stools. The blood may not be visible to the naked eye but chemical or immunological testing may show that there are abnormal amounts of blood present. This form of testing is known as Faecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT).

Oesophagitis

Inflammation of the lining of the oesophagus commonly resulting in a burning pain in the middle of the chest known as heartburn.

P

Polyp

Tissue bulging from the surface of an organ. Polyps can be found throughout the gut. Sometimes there can be lots of polyps and this condition is referred to as polyposis. Certain polyps that occur in the colon, can develop into cancers.

Proctectomy

This is an operation to remove the rectum. The ending - 'ectomy' means to remove so cholecystectomy (remove the gall bladder) and appendicectomy (remove the appendix).

Proctitis

Inflammation of the rectum.

Polypectomy

Removal of a polyp.

Polyposis

The condition of having large numbers of polyps in the large bowel.

Pre-cancerous

A condition that may become a cancer if it is not treated.

Primary Cancer

The original cancer. At some stage, cells from the primary cancer may break away and be carried to other parts of the body, where secondary cancers may form.

Prognosis

An assessment of the course and likely outcome of a person’s disease.

Radiation

Energy in the form of waves or particles, including gamma rays, x-rays and ultraviolet rays. This energy can injure or destroy cells by damaging their genetic material. This ability is ‘used for good' in radiotherapy (also known as radiation therapy).

R

Rectum

The last 12 to 15 centimetres of the large bowel, which opens to the outside at the anus. Faeces collect in the rectum before they are passed as a bowel motion.

S

Screening

Examining and/or testing a large number of people who have no symptoms of a particular disease, to identify anyone who may have that disease. This enables the disease to be treated at an early stage, when cure is more likely. Examples include FOBTests (faecal occult blood tests) used to detect minute traces of blood often released from bowel cancers (polyps or adenomas); and Pap tests which detect precancerous changes of the cervix.

Secondary Tumour

See metastases.

Side Effects

Many drugs (medicines) or treatments may affect the patient in ways other than and in addition to those intended. These are side effects. Some side effects are not a problem, but some are unpleasant, for example, chemotherapy may cause hair loss, radiotherapy and chemotherapy may cause nausea.

Sigmoidoscopy

Examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon using a straight, narrow, lighted tube (sigmoidoscope). It is inserted gently through the anus, and gives a view of the lining of the bowel.

Sphincter

A thick muscle ring that opens and closes a passage in the body such as at the cardio-oesophageal valve, the pyloric sphincter or the ileo-caecal valve. A sphincter may also close a natural body opening such as the anal sphincter where the contents from the rectum pass out through the anus

Small Bowel

The bowel is the tube that extends from the stomach to the anus. The small bowel is the first part of the bowel where most of the digestion and absorption of food and liquid takes place.

Stoma

An ‘exit' for bowel motions if the bowel can't be joined properly after surgery. The surgeon makes a small hole in your abdomen, brings one end of the bowel out through the hole and sews it to the skin. This makes a stoma or ‘ostomy'.

Suppository

A small plug of medicine inserted into the rectum or vagina.

T

Tissue

A collection of similar cells.

Tumour

A new or abnormal growth of tissue in or on the body.

U

Ulcerative Colitis

See colitis.

Ultrasound

The use of soundwaves to build up a picture of internal parts of the body. Ultrasound can be used to measure the size and position of a tumour.

X

X-Ray

A type of high-energy radiation. In low doses, x-rays are used to diagnose diseases by making pictures of the inside of the body. In high doses, x-rays are used to treat cancer.