Medical Terminology Simplified

3–79 Melan/oma is a malignant neo/plasm (new growth) that originates in the

skin and is composed of melan/o/cytes.

Form medical words that literally mean

black cell:____________________ / _____ / __________

black tumor:____________________ / __________

3–80 The lesion of melan/oma is characterized by its asymmetry, irregular border,

and lack of uniform color. Malignant melan/oma is the most dangerous form of skin

cancer because of its tendency to metastasize rapidly.

The medical term that literally means black tumoris

____________________ / __________.

3–81 Cyan/osis, also called cyan/o/derma, is caused by a deficiency of oxygen and

an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood.

A person who is rescued from drowning exhibits a dark bluish or purplish discoloration

of the skin. This condition is known as cyan/osisor

__________ / _____ / ____________________.

3–82 Use -osisto develop medical words that mean

abnormal condition of blue (skin):__________ / __________

abnormal condition of red (skin):____________________ / __________

abnormal condition of black (pigmentation):____________________ / __________

abnormal condition of yellow (skin):____________________ / __________

3–83 The suffix -osisis used in words to mean abnormal condition.However,

when -osisis used in a word related to blood, it means increase.The complete mean-

ing of -osisis abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells).

The term erythr/o/cyt/osisis an ____________________ in red blood cells.

Use leuk/o(white) to build a term that means increase in white blood cells:

__________ / _____ / __________ / __________.

3–84 The most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma andsquamous cell

carcinoma. According to the American Cancer Society, the annual rates of all forms

of skin cancer are increasing at an alarming rate due to repeated overexposure to the

ultraviolet rays of the sun. It estimates that nearly half of all Americans who live to

age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once.

Sun exposure, especially excessive tanning of the skin, can cause the lethal black

tumor called ____________________ / __________.

80 CHAPTER 3• Integumentary System

Boldfaceindicates a word root or combining form. Blueindicates a suffix. Pinkindicates a prefix.

melan/o/cyte

mĕl-ĂN-ō-sīt

melan/oma

mĕl-ă-NŌ-mă

melan/oma

mĕl-ă-NŌ-mă

cyan/o/derma

sī-ă-nō-DĔR-mă

cyan/osis

sī-ă-NŌ-sĭs

erythr/osis

ĕr-ĭ-THRŌ-sĭs

melan/osis

mĕl-ăn-Ō-sĭs

xanth/osis

zăn-THŌ-sĭs

increase

leuk/o/cyt/osis

loo-kō-sī-TŌ-sĭs

melan/oma

mĕl-ă-NŌ-mă