Beta-thalassemia (BT) is characterized by deficiency (Beta+) or absence (Beta0) of synthesis of the beta globin chains of hemoglobin (Hb).

A malignant tumor arising from epithelial cells. Carcinomas that arise from glandular epithelium are called adenocarcinomas, those that arise from squamous epithelium are called squamous cell carcinomas, and those that arise from transitional epithelium are called transitional cell carcinomas (NCI Thesaurus).