| Adenocarcinoma |
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Cancerous cells in the lining of the prostate gland; prostate cancer.
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| Adjuvant |
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additional; for example, adjuvant radiation is radiation added to standard therapeutic options.
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| Androgen Deprivation |
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depriving the malignant tissue of androgenic hormone (any male sex hormone); specifically testosterone. Also known as androgen blockade therapy.
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| Antiandrogen |
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a compound used to block the production or inhibit the action of male sex hormones.
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| ASTRO |
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American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
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| Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia |
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non-cancerous overgrowth or enlargement of the prostate gland due to an increase in the number of its constituent cells
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| Biopsy |
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Removal of a histologic sample of tissue of microscopic evaluation by a pathologist.
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| Casodex |
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oral nonsteroidal antiandrogen structurally related to flutamide (Eulexin). The drug is used as an antihormonal agent in the treatment of metastatic prostatic carcinoma.
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| Computed Tomography |
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special radiographic technique that uses a computer to assemble multiple x-rays into a 2-dimensional cross-sectional image. This scan can uncover several soft tissue structures not found with conventional radiography.
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| Cryotherapy |
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the use of cold (i.e. liquid nitrogen) to limit progression of disease (e.g., hindering the spread of malignant cells by freezing the cancerous tissue).
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| Digital rectal examination or DRE |
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An examination in which a gloved finger is inserted into the rectum to check for abnormalities.
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| Doubling Time |
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the time it takes a specific focus of the disease to double in size.
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| ECG |
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electrocardiogram: a recording of the electrical activity of the heart
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| External Beam Radiation |
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radiation therapy that uses a machine to aim high-energy radiation beams at the cancerous area.
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| Gleason Score |
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a classification of adenocarcinoma (glandular cancer) of the prostate by evaluation of the pattern of glandular differentiation. The score is the sum of the dominant and secondary patterns, each numbered on a scale of 2 (best) to 10 (worst).
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| Gy |
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units for absorbed dose of radiation. 1 Gy = 100 rad.
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| Interstitial |
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relates to spaces within a tissue or organ, but excluding potential space. Interstitial brachytherapy is the placement of radioactive seeds within the area surrounding, but not including, the malignant neoplasm.
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| Metastatic |
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spread of a disease from its origin to another part of the body; for prostate cancer, the formation of a secondary tumor caused by the primary (prostate) cancer or the spread of tumor cells to the surrounding lymphatic system.
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| Nadir |
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the lowest point PSA figure attained after treatment
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| Neoadjuvant hormonal treatment |
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prior addition; for example neoadjuvant hormonal therapy is hormonal therapy that is given prior to radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy.
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| Nomogram Table |
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otherwise known as a nomograph, consists of three co-planar curves, usually parallel, each graduated for a different variable so that a straight line cutting all three curves intersects the related value of each variable.
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| Obturator |
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That which closes or stops an opening
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| Orchiectomy |
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surgical removal of the testicles
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| Positive Margins |
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indicates the presence of cancer at the surgical margin (the outer edge of tissue removed during surgery).
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| Positron Emission Tomography (PET)<br> |
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a computerized image of the metabolic activity of the body used to determine the presence of disease.<br>
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| Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) |
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a test to detect prostate cancer. The test measures the levels of a specific antigen (a protein that under certain conditions can trigger a specific immune response) secreted by the prostate that shows elevated levels due to the presence of prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Found in normal seminal fluid and produced by prostatic epithelial cells, a rise in the enzyme may indicate cancer. An increase in the level of prostate specific antigen is also helpful to indicate the failure of treatment.
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| Radical Prostatectomy (RP)<br> |
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removal of the prostate in an attempt to cure the condition caused by or within the gland.<br>
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| Radioactive Isotope |
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an isotope of an element that has an unstable nucleus; it attempts to stabilize itself by giving off ionizing radiation.
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| Radioactive Seed Implantation<br> |
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see Brachytherapy<br>
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| Salvage Therapy |
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procedure performed following the failure of a prior treatment; for example, salvage prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate) or salvage radiotherapy (treatment of the malignant tissue using radiation).
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| Seminal Vesicles |
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glands located at the base of the bladder and connected to the prostate that provide nutrients for semen.
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| Transperineal |
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denotes a procedure entering through the perineum; the area of the body between the scrotum and anus.
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| Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) |
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guided biopsy - procedure that sends an ultrasound (technique that bounces high-frequency radio waves off a specified area, then gathers the echo pattern and converts it to a 2-dimensional image for diagnosis) probe up through the rectum to guide a needle into the potentially cancerous area for biopsy (removal of tissue specimen for microscopic analysis).
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| Urethra |
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The tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body; in males, its also the channel through which semen is ejaculated.
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| X-Ray Therapy |
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high-energy radiation used in significant doses to treat cancer. The same radiation is used in a low-energy format for conventional radiographic imaging.
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