Therefore by breaking down a complex word we can see that neuroblastoma literally means a tumour made up of immature nerve cells.
To take another type of tumour: osteogenic sarcoma
Thus we can see that this is a bone forming tumour.
All medical terms have a root word. They may also have a prefix, a suffix, or both a prefix and a suffix.
| component | meaning | example |
| BLAST- | germ, immature cell | blastoma = a cancer made of immature cells |
| CARCIN- | cancer | carcinogenic = cancer causing |
| CARDIO- | heart | cardiotoxicity = toxicity to the heart |
| CYTO- | cell | cytotoxic = toxic to the cell |
| DERMA- | skin | dermatitis = inflammation of the skin |
| HISTIO- | tissue | histology = study of tissue |
| HEPATI- | liver | hepatoblastoma = liver cancer |
| MALIGN- | bad / harmful | malignant = growing, spreading |
| NEPHRO- | kidney | nephrotoxic = harmful to the kidneys |
| NEURO- | nerves | neurob1ast = an immature nerve cell |
| ONCO- | mass / tumour | oncology = the study of cancer |
| OSTEO- | bone / bony tissue | osteosarcoma = bone cancer |
| PAED- | child | paediatric oncology = study of childhood cancer |
| SARCO- | tissue | sarcoma = tumour of bone, muscle, or connective tissue |
| TOXO- | poison | toxicology = study of poisons |
| component | meaning | example |
| -AEMIA | condition of blood | leukaemia = cancer of blood cells |
| -ECTOMY | excision / removal | nephrectomy = excision of a kidney |
| -ITIS | inflammation | hepatitis = inflammation of the liver |
| -OLOGY | study / science of | cytology = the study of cells |
| -OMA | tumour | retinoblastoma = tumour of the eye |
| -PATHY | disease | neuropathy = disease of the nervous system |
| -OSIS | disease /condition | necrosis = dying cells |
| component | meaning | example |
| AN-, A- | without / lack of | anaemia = lack of red blood cells |
| AB- | away from | abnormal = away from the normal |
| AD- | near / toward | adrenal gland = gland near to the kidney |
| BI- | two / both | bilateral Wilm's = tumour in both kidneys |
| DYS- | difficult / painful | dysfunction = not working properly |
| ECTO- | outside | ectopic pregnancy = outside the uterine cavity |
| ENDO- | inside | endoscope = an instrument to look inside the body cavities or organs |
| EPI- | upon | epidermis = the outer layer of skin |
| HYPER- | excessive / above | hyperglycaemia = excessive blood sugar levels |
| HYPO- | beneath / below | hypodermic = injection below the skin |
| INTER- | between | intercostal = between the ribs |
| INTRA- | within / Inside | intravenous = into a vein |
| PARA- | beside, about, near | parathyroid = beside the thyroid gland |
| PERI- | around | pericardium = membrane around the heart |
| PRE- | before | prenatal = before birth |
| POST- | after | post surgical stage = stage after surgery |
| SUB- | under / below | submucosa = tissue below mucus membrane |
| SYN- | together with | syndrome = group of symptoms occurring together |
This guide by Simon Cotterill
Department of Child Health
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
UK
First created 04/03/96
Last modified: 31/08/2000