Glossary of Terms
Active surveillance
Keeping close track of a patient’s condition without providing treatment unless changes in test results warrant it.
Adrenal (suprarenal) gland
A flattened, roughly triangular body resting on the upper end of each kidney.
Androgens
Male hormones, including testosterone.
Antiandrogens
Drugs that lower the body’s production of androgens or block its ability to use androgens.
Benign
Noncancerous.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Enlargement of the prostate; BPH is not cancer, but it can cause similar symptoms.
Biopsy
Process of removing tissue sample for diagnostic examination.
Brachytherapy
Internal radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly into the prostate gland; also called interstitial radiation therapy or seed implantation.
Chemotherapy
Treatment with drugs to destroy cancer cells.
Computed tomography (CT) scan
Detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.
Digital rectal exam (DRE)
The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel for any abnormal bumps or growths. Some tumors of the rectum and prostate gland can be felt during a DRE.
Ejaculation
The release of semen through the penis during sexual climax.
Erectile dysfunction
Inability to achieve an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. See impotence.
Estrogen
A female hormone; estrogens can be used in the treatment of prostate cancer to block the release and activity of testosterone.
External beam radiation therapy
Radiation is focused from a source outside the body on the area affected by the cancer.
Gleason score
A method of classifying prostate cancer cells on a scale of 2 to 10. The higher the score, the faster the cancer is likely to grow and spread beyond the prostate.
Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is produced by the hypothalamus, a tiny gland in the brain.
Grading
A method of labeling cancer cells by how abnormal they look under a microscope and how likely they are to grow and spread.
Hormone therapy
Treatment with drugs to interfere with hormone production or hormone action, or the surgical removal of hormone-producing glands.
Hyperplasia
Too much growth of noncancerous cells or tissue in a specific area, such as the lining of the prostate.
Impotence
Inability to achieve an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. See erectile dysfunction.
IMRT
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy allows clinicians to change the intensity of the doses and radiation beams to better target the radiation delivered to the prostate. Lower doses are delivered to the tumor cells that are immediately adjacent
to the bladder and rectal tissue, therapy lowering side effects while keeping cure rates as high as possible.
Incontinence (urinary)
Loss of urinary control.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
A magnet linked to a computer is used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
Malignant
Cancerous; cancer cells are present.
Metastasis
Spread of cancer cells to distant areas of the body via the lymph system or bloodstream.
Orchiectomy
Surgery to remove the testicles; castration.
Palliative treatment
Treatment to get relief from symptoms without curing the disease.
Pelvic lymphadenectomy
Removal of lymph nodes from the pelvis near the prostate.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
A protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. PSA can be measured with a blood
test. PSA levels go up in the blood of some men with prostate enlargement or prostate
cancer.
Radiation therapy
The use of high-energy rays, such as x-rays, to kill cancer cells; rays can be beamed
from a machine (external) or emitted by radioactive seeds implanted in the tumor
(internal).
Radical prostatectomy
This surgery removes the entire prostate gland and nearby tissues like the seminal
vesicles. Different types include open/traditional surgery, laparoscopic surgery,
and robotic nerve-sparing surgery.
Radionuclide bone scan
Radioactive material is injected, collected in the bones, and detected by a scanner.
Recurrence, relapse
The reappearance of cancer after treatment has been completed.
Scrotum
The external sac or pouch containing the testes.
Semen
The fluid, containing sperm, which comes out of the penis during ejaculation.
Staging
This classifies the extent or stage of cancer, and whether it has spread to other
parts of the body.
Targeted therapy
Drugs or other substances, such as monoclonal antibodies, are used to identify and
attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells.
Testosterone
A male sex hormone produced primarily by the testicles, testosterone plays an important
role in a man's sexuality. It also stimulates growth of hormone-dependent prostate
cancer.
Tumor
An abnormal growth of tissue, tumors can be benign or malignant.
Ultrasound
An imaging technique using sound waves to produce pictures of body tissues.
Urethra (male)
A tube leading from the bladder to the tip of the penis, it allows the discharge of urine from the bladder and semen during ejaculation.
Watchful waiting
The patient’s condition is monitored and no treatment given until symptoms appear or change.
