Glossary

Androgen (AN-dro-jen): Any hormone that produces male physical characteristics and supports a wide range of physiologic functions. The main androgen hormone is testosterone.

Benign: A term for a tumor that does not behave like cancer.

Brachytherapy (bray-kee-THER-uh-pee): Another name for various types of internal radiation therapy; sometimes called "seeds."

Cancer: A tumor with abnormal cells that grow and divide without control. Cancer cells can sometimes spread through the blood and lymph to other organs, or grow invasively into surrounding structures.

Capsule: The layer of cells around an organ such as the prostate.

Cells: The basic structural and functional unity of the body.

Chemotherapy (kee-mo-THER-a-pee): Treatment with drugs that attack cancer cells. These drugs may be administered by IV or mouth.

Clinical trials: Studies conducted on patients with cancer or other diseases, usually to evaluate a new treatment. Each study is designed to answer specific questions and to find better ways to treat patients.

Digital Rectal Exam or DRE: An examination performed by a physician in which a gloved, lubricated finger is inserted into the rectum to feel the prostate.

External Beam Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy that uses rays from a machine directed at parts of the body. Radiation used in this way can kill cancer cells. See section on Radiation Therapy.

Grade: Cancer grade is a subjective estimate, based on how biopsy tissue appears under the microscope, of how aggresive a cancer is likely to be. The most common grading system used for prostate cancer is the "Gleason Grade". This is a numerical scale ranging from 2-10 with cancers rated as "2" being the slowest growing and least likely to spread, and cancers rated as "10" being the most rapidly growing and most likely to spread. In practice, most cancers that we see are rated 6 or above. Grade 6 cancer tends to grow slowly and be unlikely to spread.

Hormone Therapy: By using medication or surgery to reduce the amount of testosterone produced by the body, prostate cancer can be stopped or slowed down.

Impotence (IM-po-tens): Inability to have an erection.

Incontinence (in-KON-tin-nens): Loss of urinary control.

Internal radiation therapy: Treatment with high-energy radiation from tiny radioactive seeds inserted into the prostate.

Lymph: A nearly clear fluid collected from tissues around the body and returned to the blood by the lymphatic system.

Lymphatic system: Vessels that carry lymph are part of this system. Other parts include lymph nodes and several organs that produce and store infection-fighting cells.

Lymph nodes: Small bean-shaped structures scattered along the vessels of the lymphatic system. The nodes filter out bacteria and cancer cells that may travel through the system.

Malignant: A term for a tumor that can threaten a person's life (that is, a tumor that is cancerous.) Malignant has the same meaning as cancerous.

Metastasis (meh-TASS-tuh-sis): The spread of cancer from its original site to distant areas via blood and lymph.

Oncologist: A doctor who specializes in treating cancer using chemotherapy.

Orchiectomy (or-EK-toe-mee): The surgical removal of the testicles, the major source of male hormones.

Palliative therapy (pa-LEE-a-tive): A therapy that is intended to provide relief but is unlikely to cure a disease.

Pathologist (pah-THAL-o-jist): A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis of disease by studying cells and tissues with a microscope.

Perineal prostatectomy (pair-in-NEE-al prah-stah-TEK-toe-mee): An operation to remove the prostate gland through a cut made in the perineum, the area between the scrotum and the anus.

Prognosis (prog-NO-suhs): A prediction made as to the potential outcome of a disease.

Prostatectomy (prah-stah-TEK-toe-mee): The surgical removal of the prostate gland.

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): This is a substance that is produced both by normal prostate tissue and by prostate cancer tissue. Tiny amounts of this substance leak into the blood stream and can be measured by a blood test. Men with prostate cancer tend to have higher levels of PSA in their blood stream. The PSA blood test is used both as a screening test to detect prostate cancer at it's earliest stages, and also as a follow up test after treatment to assess how successful treatment has been to cure the condition.

Radiation therapy: Treatment with high-energy rays such as those from X-rays or other sources of radiation.

Rectum: The last 5 or 6 inches of the intestine leading to the outside of the body.

Retropubic prostatectomy: (reh-tro-PYOO-bik): An operation to remove the prostate gland through a cut made in the lower abdomen.

Scrotum (SKRO-tum): The external sac, or pouch, containing the testicles.

Seminal vesicles: Small organs attached to the back of the prostate gland that also produce semen and which are removed as part of a prostatectomy. Occasionally cancer that starts in the prostate can grow into the seminal vesicles.

Stage: A term used to describe the size, extent and spread of cancer. The stage is like a snapshot in time of how much cancer is present and if it is confined to the primary organ (prostate in this case) or not. This is different from the "grade" of the cancer - see definition of "grade" above.

Testicles: Two egg-shaped glands that produce sperm and sex hormones.

Testosterone (tes-TOS-ter-own): A male sex hormone produced chiefly by the testicles. Testosterone has many normal functions and also can stimulate the growth of prostate cancer in men who have that condition.

Tissue: A group of cells organized to perform a specialized function.

Transrectal ultrasonography: Using sound waves produced by a device inserted into the rectum to produce a picture of the prostate.

Transurethral resection of the prostate: The use of a special instrument inserted through the urethra in the penis to remove noncancerous prostate tissue. Also called TUR or TURP.

Tumor: An excessive growth of cells resulting from uncontrolled and disorderly cell replacement.

Ureter (YUR-e-ter): The tube that carries urine from each kidney to the bladder.

Urethra (ye-REETH-rah): The tube running through the penis to the outside of the body. It carries urine from the bladder and semen from the sex glands.

Urologist: A doctor who specializes in diseases of the male sex organs and in disease of the urinary organs in both men and women.

Watchful waiting and Active Surveillance:This is when a man chooses to not have active therapy for his prostate cancer but rather has regular examinations, PSA tests, and possible follow up biopsies.