Glossary of Terms
The following is a list of terms
you may discover in your research of prostate cancer or in your discussions
with physicians. If you have other
terms you would like to know the meaning of, please contact the Urology Resource
Centre at : info@UrologyResourceCentre.com
Adenocarcinoma: The most common type of prostate cancer that
starts in the glandular tissue of the prostate.
Adjuvant
therapy: The use of radiation or
hormonal agents following surgery to help increase the chances of killing
all the cancerous cells.
Analgesic: Painkiller
Androgen: The group of steroid hormones,
including testosterone, that promote male sexual characteristics.
Antiandrogen
Drugs: A type of drugs used in
hormone withdrawal therapy that help prevent testosterone from having a
stimulative effect on prostate cells.
Atypical cells: Cells that appear abnormal but not
cancerous when viewed under the microscope.
Benign growth: A growth (tumour) that is not cancerous.
Biopsy: The surgical procedure in
which a small piece of tissue is removed to be studied under the microscope
to help make a diagnosis.
Bone Scan: A scanning technique used to
determine if cancer has spread to the bones.
Brachytherapy: A
type of radiation treatment that involves implanting tiny radioactive
‘seeds’ directly into the prostate.
Carcinoma: Another word for cancer.
CT or CAT
Scanning: A scanning technique that
produces cross-sectional images of the body.
Cystoscopy: A technique that allows the
urologist to visualize the urethra, prostate and bladder.
Hematuria: Blood in the urine.
Hyperplasia: Cells that divide and accumulate in excessive numbers but are
not yet cancerous.
Neoadjuvant
therapy: The use of hormone therapy prior
to the definitive treatment (surgery, radiation) to increase the chances of
removing all the cancer.
Orbturator
Fossa: An area near the prostate
that contains the lymph nodes,
which are usually the first site of spread.
Palliation: Treatment to improve quality of
life and reduce suffering, particularly when cure is not possible.
Primary Cancer: The organ in which the cancer originated.
Resection
Margin: The outside layer of the
prostate evaluated following surgical removal. Positive margins means that the cancer is seen at the outside
edge of the prostate.
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