refractory
ri-FRACK-tuh-ree
Definition
Resistant to a process, stimulus, or treatment; in a medical context, it refers to a disease or condition that does not respond to standard medications or therapies.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin word 'refractarius', meaning 'stubborn' or 'obstinate'. It originally referred to something that breaks or resists the influence of another, eventually entering English to describe people or illnesses that are hard to manage or treat.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose condition remains severe despite trying multiple standard treatments. It highlights the desperate need for new options like CAR T-cell therapy for these resistant cases.
A cancer therapy put severe rheumatoid arthritis into remission
Read the full article ↗Science Daily