YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW
PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

A STRANGE PLACE

AN INFORMATION GUIDE
TO
PROSTATE CANCER

This is part of an Information Guide. Introduction: Index

SUMMARY OF SOME COMMON TERMS

ADT

Androgen Deprivation Therapy - the correct term for Hormone Therapy. The prostate cancer is deprived of the testosterone androgen that fuels growth.

AI

Androgen Independent - see AIPC

AIPC

Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer - late stage prostate cancer which no longer responds to ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment)

Brachytherapy

A form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted into the prostate gland. Also known as SI (Seed Implants) or HDR (High Dose Rate Brachytherapy).

CAB

Combined Androgen Blockade - see CHT

CAT Scan, also CT Scan

Computer Axial Tomography scans. An advanced form of X-ray scan that creates detailed images of the prostate

CHB
Combined Hormone Blockade - see CHT

CHT
Combined Hormone Therapy - where more than one method of ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy) treatment is used

CM
Conservative Management - the term used by men who have elected not to have conventional treatment but are using alternative therapies

Cryotherapy Cryo
This is a treatment where the prostate gland is frozen following the insertion of thermal probes, the aim being to destroy the cancer cells

DRE
Digital Rectal Examination - the standard basic examination of the prostate where a finger is inserted into the rectum

EBRT
External Beam Radiation Therapy - the normal radiation therapy which uses a beam from a machine, focussed on the prostate gland

HT
Hormone Therapy - more correctly ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment)

HDR
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy - a form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted into the prostate gland and then withdrawn. Not available in South Africa at present.

HRPC
Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer - see AIPC above

IADT
Intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy - see IHT

IHT
Intermittent Hormone Therapy, also known as Pulse Therapy, where ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment) is given for a short time and then stopped. The theory is that this reduces the chance of AIPC (Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer) developing

LUTS
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - the generic term covering urinary problems such as nocturia, urgency and incontinence

Nocturia
The term used to describe the frequency of urination at night

Metastasis Mets
The spread of the cancer from its original site. The secondary cancers are referred to as metastases and the disease is said to have metastasised

MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging - this type of scan uses a very strong magnetic field, rather than X-rays to create pictures of internal organs

Orchiectomy Orchidectomy
The surgical removal of the testicles. This is a form of hormone therapy to remove the primary source of testosterone

Partin Tables
A set of tables which uses collected data to demonstrate the potential for the disease having spread beyond the prostate organ

PSA
Prostate Specific Antigen - the standard blood test used as a marker to indicate the possibility of a disease of the prostate. It is not cancer specific, therefore an elevated PSA does not always mean that the man has cancer

fPSA, Free PSA, PSA II
Free PSA is "unbound" PSA and differs chemically from normal PSA. The amount of fPSA is usually shown as a percentage of the total PSA. The higher the percentage, the less the chance of prostate cancer being present. A fPSA of 25% or greater is usually regarded as indicative of a low probability that malignancy is present

SI
Seed Implants - a form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted permanently into the prostate gland. Also known as brachytherapy

TRUS
Transrectal Ultrasound - the imaging technique used to guide a biopsy

RP
Radical Prostatectomy - the surgical removal of the prostate gland

WW
Watchful Waiting, also known as Conservative Management, where no conventional treatment is undertaken unless the disease progresses

Back to: Basic Language : Index: Introduction: Homepage Links

ADT	Androgen Deprivation Therapy - the correct term for Hormone Therapy. The prostate cancer is deprived of the testosterone androgen that fuels growth.
AI	Androgen Independent - see AIPC
AIPC	Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer - late stage prostate cancer which no longer responds to ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment)
Brachytherapy	A form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted into the prostate gland. Also known as SI (Seed Implants) or HDR (High Dose Rate Brachytherapy).
CAB	Combined Androgen Blockade - see CHT
CAT Scan, also CT Scan	Computer Axial Tomography scans. An advanced form of X-ray scan that creates detailed images of the prostate
CHB	Combined Hormone Blockade - see CHT
CHT	Combined Hormone Therapy - where more than one method of ADT (Androgen Deprivation Therapy) treatment is used
CM	Conservative Management - the term used by men who have elected not to have conventional treatment but are using alternative therapies
Cryotherapy Cryo	This is a treatment where the prostate gland is frozen following the insertion of thermal probes, the aim being to destroy the cancer cells
DRE	Digital Rectal Examination - the standard basic examination of the prostate where a finger is inserted into the rectum
EBRT	External Beam Radiation Therapy - the normal radiation therapy which uses a beam from a machine, focussed on the prostate gland
HT	Hormone Therapy - more correctly ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment)
HDR	High Dose Rate Brachytherapy - a form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted into the prostate gland and then withdrawn. Not available in South Africa at present.
HRPC	Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer - see AIPC above
IADT	Intermittent Androgen Deprivation Therapy - see IHT
IHT	Intermittent Hormone Therapy, also known as Pulse Therapy, where ADT (Androgen Deprivation Treatment) is given for a short time and then stopped. The theory is that this reduces the chance of AIPC (Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer) developing
LUTS	Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - the generic term covering urinary problems such as nocturia, urgency and incontinence
Nocturia	The term used to describe the frequency of urination at night
Metastasis Mets	The spread of the cancer from its original site. The secondary cancers are referred to as metastases and the disease is said to have metastasised
MRI	Magnetic Resonance Imaging - this type of scan uses a very strong magnetic field, rather than X-rays to create pictures of internal organs
Orchiectomy Orchidectomy	The surgical removal of the testicles. This is a form of hormone therapy to remove the primary source of testosterone
Partin Tables	A set of tables which uses collected data to demonstrate the potential for the disease having spread beyond the prostate organ
PSA	Prostate Specific Antigen - the standard blood test used as a marker to indicate the possibility of a disease of the prostate. It is not cancer specific, therefore an elevated PSA does not always mean that the man has cancer
fPSA, Free PSA, PSA II	Free PSA is "unbound" PSA and differs chemically from normal PSA. The amount of fPSA is usually shown as a percentage of the total PSA. The higher the percentage, the less the chance of prostate cancer being present. A fPSA of 25% or greater is usually regarded as indicative of a low probability that malignancy is present
SI	Seed Implants - a form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are inserted permanently into the prostate gland. Also known as brachytherapy
TRUS	Transrectal Ultrasound - the imaging technique used to guide a biopsy
RP	Radical Prostatectomy - the surgical removal of the prostate gland
WW	Watchful Waiting, also known as Conservative Management, where no conventional treatment is undertaken unless the disease progresses