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A pear-shaped organ on the underside of the liver where bile is stored. Bile is transferred from the gall bladder to the duodenum via the bile duct.

A form of radiation that comes from a radioisotope. Gamma rays are commonly used in radiotherapy and also in some radioisotope scans to treat cancer.

A thin-walled, harmless cyst or non-cancerous swelling that may appear in the tendons or joints, especially at the wrist.

The removal of the stomach, or of part of it, by surgery.

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 and Diagram 1.

A thin, flexible, tube-like instrument that is used to see into and take photographs inside the stomach. This process is called a gastroscopy. A gastroscope can also be used to take samples of tissue for biopsy and to remove small growths: see endoscope, fibre optics.

gene

The tiny factors that govern 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.

giant cells tumour

A tumour that occurs in bone. Giant cells tumours may be benign (not a cancer) or malignant (a cancer); malignant giant cells tumours usually develop from benign ones. They most often occur in the long bones of the leg, but may occur anywhere: see bone cancer.

An organ or group of cells that makes certain fluids (hormones, saliva, sweat) that are used in the body or excreted.

Gleason score

A system for grading prostate cancer tumours according to size and severity, depending on how the tumour cells look under a microscope.

glioblastoma [gli-o bla-sto-ma]

One of the most malignant of brain tumours. It occurs in children and adults: see glioma.

Any tumour that starts in the connective tissue (the glia) of the nervous system. They range from slow-growing benign tumours to cancers that grow rapidly to invade surrounding tissues. The term is sometimes used to describe all tumours of the brain and spinal cord.

A swelling in the neck due to enlargement of the thyroid gland. One form, toxic nodular goitre, sometimes develops into thyroid cancer.

Any organ or tissue that is transplanted to replace a part. The transplantation may come from one part of a person's body to another, or from another person.

granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)

A protein that stimulates the growth and maturation of granulocytes.

growth factor

A substance that stimulates cells to reproduce and rapidly multiply.

A doctor who specialises in treating women diagnosed with cancer of the reproductive organs.

A doctor who specialises in conditions affecting women, particularly conditions of the reproductive system.