Medical terms may initially seem overly complicated and indecipherable. For example, the term "neuroblastoma," while perhaps intimidating to the layperson, describes a very specific condition to medical professionals.
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Root Words
All medical terms are built around a "root word" or a word that encapsulates the focus of a condition or illness. In "neuroblastoma" the root word is "blast," which refers to a germ or an immature cell. According to CancerIndex.org's "Components of Medical Terminology," medical terms are composed of a prefix, root word, and suffix. If you're having difficulties understanding a medical term, you only need to break down the word into its parts to get a general understanding of the condition or illness it refers to. The prefix "neuro-" may sound familiar. A neurological condition refers to any afflicts the nervous system, so "neuro-" refers to the nerves or nervous system. The suffix "-oma" refers to to a tumor or growth, so a neuroblastoma is a tumor formed of immature nerve cells. Because it involves the growth of abnormal cells, neuroblastoma is a type of cancer.
Etymology
Etymology is the study of word origins. Many words in science and especially medicine have their roots in Greek and Latin. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word "carcinoma" can be understood by looking at its Greek root word, "karkinoma" meaning "a cancer" (its original form, "karkinos," means crab). "Carcinoma," then, means cancerous tumor.
Prefixes
A prefix is a series of letters that come before a root word to change its meaning. Medical terms begin with a prefix, many of which are used in everyday terms. For example, the prefix "dys-" means painful or difficult. "Hyper-" is also a commonly used medical prefix, which means excessive or above. Someone with "hyperglycemia," then, has a high blood sugar level as glycemic is a form of the word "glucose," which means sugar.
Other Meanings
The term "BLAST" is also is used as an acronym for the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool according to MedTerms.com. The BLAST program analyzes genetic material to find similarities between two (or more) species for scientific study.
Significance
Obviously, if you're a medical student or already in the medical field, you most likely know the basic roots, prefixes, and suffixes of medical terminology. If you're not in the medical field, it is still helpful to know medical terms so you can understand the language used to describe an illness that may befall either you or a family member.
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