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Questions About Cancer? 1-800-4-CANCER

NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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severe combined immunodeficiency disease  listen  (seh-VEER kum-BIND IH-myoo-noh-deh-FIH-shun-see dih-ZEEZ)

  A rare, inherited disease that is marked by a lack of B lymphocytes (white blood cells that make antibodies and help fight infections) and a lack of T lymphocytes (white blood cells that attack virus-infected cells, foreign cells, and cancer cells). Patients with this disease have a high risk of developing viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Also called SCID.