Letter S

Sarcoma A type of cancer that forms in the muscles or connective tissue such as bone and cartilage.

Scrotum A sac of loose skin that lies directly below the penis and contains the testicles.

Secondary A new tumour that has developed distant from the original cancer.

Side effects Secondary effects of drugs used for disease treatment.

Sigmoidoscopy The visual examination of the rectum and lower colon using a tubular instrument called a sigmoidoscope.

Sonogram (also known as Ultrasound or Echography) A picture of the body’s tissues built up by using high energy sound waves.

Sperm banking The process of freezing sperm and storing it for later use in order to try and have children.

Spleen A part of the body found on the left side under the lower part of the rib cage. The spleen makes lymphocytes and other immune system cells to help fight infections. In certain diseases, the bone marrow may stop making blood cells. If that happens, the spleen may take over that task.

Sputum A substance such as saliva, phlegm, or mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract.

Squamous cell carcinoma Cancer arising from the skin or the surfaces of other structures, such as the mouth, cervix, or lungs.

Staging Defining the extent of cancer in the body, the size, location and if it has spread.

Stem cells Early blood cells which mature in an orderly process to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Steroids A type of hormone.

Stoma An artificial opening between two cavities or between a cavity and the surface of the body.

Stomatitis Temporary inflammation and soreness of the mouth.

Stool Excrement, faeces.

Subcutaneous injection Injection into the fatty tissue under the skin.

Systemic chemotherapy Chemotherapy or hormones which travel throughout the blood stream, either taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle.

Systemic disease A disease that affects the entire body such as Leukaemia, instead of a specific organ.

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