MEDICAL TERM GLOSSARY
Washington Health Department glossary: Asbestos and cancer

Glossary for Washington Health Department report on asbestos cancer:

Glossary: Ab-Co

Absorption

The process of taking in. For a person or an animal, absorption is the process of a substance getting into the body through the eyes, skin, stomach, intestines, or lungs.

Acute

Occurring over a short time [compare with chronic].

Acute exposure

Contact with a substance that occurs once or for only a short time (up to 14 days) [compare with intermediate duration exposure and chronic exposure].

Adverse health effect

A change in body function or cell structure that might lead to disease or health problems

Ambient

Surrounding (for example, ambient air).

Background level

An average or expected amount of a substance or radioactive material in a specific environment, or typical amounts of substances that occur naturally in an environment.

Cancer risk

A theoretical risk for getting cancer if exposed to a substance every day for 70 years (a lifetime exposure). The true risk might be lower.

A substance that causes cancer.

Chronic

Occurring over a long time [compare with acute].

Contaminant

A substance that is either present in an environment where it does not belong or is present at levels that might cause harmful (adverse) health effects.

Courtesy of the Washington Department of Health