A variety of white blood cell distinguished by the presence in its cytoplasm of coarse granules that stain purple-black with Romanowsky stains.  The function of basophils is poorly understood, but they are capable of ingesting foreign particles and contain histamine and heparin.

1. Describing a tumour that does not invade and destroy the tissue in which it originates or spread to distant sites in the body, i.e. a tumour that is not cancerous. 
2. Describing any disorder or condition that does not produce harmful effects.

The removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or part of the body for microscopic examination.  Biopsy is an important means of diagnosing cancer from examination of a fragment of tumour. 

Any test designed to discover abnormalities in a sample of a person’s blood, such as the presence of alcohol, drugs, or bacteria, or to determine the blood group.

The tissue contained within the internal cavities of the bones.  At birth, these cavities are filled entirely with blood-forming myeloid tissue (red marrow) but in later life the marrow in the limb bones is replaced by fat (yellow marrow).  Samples of bone marrow may be obtained for examination by aspiration through a stout needle or by trephine biopsy.

Removal of a small amount of bone marrow fluid and cells through a needle put into a bone.   The bone marrow fluid and cells are checked for problems with any of the blood cells made in the bone marrow.

Removal of bone with the marrow inside to look at under a microscope.

Involves harvesting healthy stem cells to replenish the bone marrow of the patient.  The new stem cells take over the production of the blood cells.

A type of cancer that originates from bone.

See cerebral tumour -