Glossary
Adrenal Glands
Located near the kidneys, the adrenal glands produce a small amount of the male hormone testosterone.
Antiandrogen Drug
A drug that blocks the activity of an androgen hormone, the main one being testosterone.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
Noncancerous enlargement of the prostate that may cause difficulty in urination.
Benign Tumor
A tumor which is not cancerous and does not metastasize (spread).
Biopsy
The removal of bits of tissue from the body for diagnostic examination.
Brachytherapy
Treatment with high-energy radiation from tiny radioactive seeds inserted into the prostate.
Chemotherapy
The use of chemical agents in the treatment or control of cancer.
Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)
A common screening procedure for prostate cancer, whereby a doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum in order to feel the size and shape of the prostate through the rectal wall.
Ejaculation
The sudden release of seminal fluid during sexual climax (orgasm) in males.
Estrogen
A female sex hormone.
External Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy that uses rays from a machine directed toward parts of the body.
Hormone Therapy
In prostate cancer, treatment that interferes with the production or activity of male hormones, primarily testosterone, that promote prostate tumor growth.
Impotence
The inability to have an erection.
Incontinence
The involuntary loss of urinary control resulting in leakage of urine.
Internal Radiation Therapy
Treatment with rays from radioactive compounds placed inside the tumor or tumors.
LH-RH Analogs
A class of drugs known as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs that are used to shut down the testosterone produced by the testicles, and, in turn, slow hormone dependent prostate cancer cell growth.
Malignant Tumor
A tumor that is cancerous and has the ability to grow and metastasize (spread).
Metastasis
The spread of cancer cells from one part of the body to another.
Oncologist
A physician who specializes in the treatment of cancer.
Orchiectomy
Surgical removal of the testicles.
Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection
Removal of possible cancer-carrying lymph nodes near the prostate for their evaluation.
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
A substance manufactured by the prostate and found in the blood that often increases in cases of prostate cancer and other prostate diseases.
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test
Measurement in the blood of a substance produced by the prostate which indicates the possibility of prostate cancer.
Radiation Therapy
Treatment with high-energy rays, such as those from x-rays or other sources of radiation.
Radical Prostatectomy
Surgical removal of the prostate.
Rectum
The last five or six inches of the intestine leading to the outside of the body.
Retrograde Ejaculation
Ejaculation of semen backward through the urethra into the bladder, instead of outside the body.
Scrotum
The external sac or pouch containing the testicles.
Semen
Whitish fluid containing sperm and secretions from the glands of the male reproductive tract.
Seminal Vesicles
Pouch-like paired organs located above the prostate that produce and store seminal fluid.
Stage
A term used to describe the size and extent of cancer.
Staging
Tests conducted to determine the stage of a cancer.
Testosterone
A male hormone produced mainly by the testicles. Testosterone stimulates a man's sexual activity and the growth of other sex organs, including the prostate.
Tissue
A group of cells organized to perform a special function.
Transurethral Incision of the Prostate (TUIP)
A procedure for BPH in which an instrument is passed through the urethra to make cuts in the prostate.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
The use of a special instrument inserted into the penis through the urethra to remove prostate tissue, mainly to treat BPH.
Tumor
An abnormal, excessive growth of cells resulting from uncontrolled and disorderly cell growth.
Urethra
The canal that carries urine from the bladder and semen from the sex glands to the outside of the body.
Urologist
A doctor and a surgeon who is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the male genital tract and urinary tract in patients of any age or sex.
