Dictionary

non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma See lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s.

nonmelanoma skin cancer Skin cancer that does not involve melanocytes. Basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer are examples of nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Nonoxynol-9 A potent spermicide (spermkilling agent) used as a contraceptive.

nonpathogenic Incapable of causing disease. For example, nonpathogenic E. coli are E. coli bacteria that do not cause disease, but instead live naturally in the large intestine.

non-rapid eye movement sleep See NREM sleep.

nonseminoma A type of testicular cancer that arises in specialized sex cells called germ cells that give rise to sperm. Nonseminomas include embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, choriocarcinoma, and yolk sac tumor.

non-small-cell lung cancer Cancer of the lung that is not small cell carcinoma. It may be bronchogenic carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or large cell carcinoma of the lung. The distinction between small and non-small-cell lung cancers is made under the microscope. Knowing which type a patient has is important for proper therapy. The treatment…

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug See NSAID.

nonsyndromic Not part of a syndrome. Hearing loss, for instance, can be syndromic or nonsyndromic. See also syndrome.

Noonan syndrome A congenital malformation syndrome that is characterized by mildly short stature, a congenital heart defect, a broad or webbed neck, an unusual chest shape (prominent above and caved in below), low-set nipples, a characteristic facial appearance, and, in boys, testes that do not descend normally into the scrotum (cryptorchidism). Abbreviated NS. Although NS…

normal pressure hydrocephalus See hydrocephalus, normal pressure.

normal range Characteristic of 95 percent of values from a normal population. The remaining normal results fall outside the normal range, as do any truly abnormal results. The normal range for a particular test result, condition, symptom, or behavior may differ, based on the patient’s age, size, sex, ethnicity, or culture.