H

Hematospermia: the occurrence of blood in the semen.

Hematuria: the occurrence of blood in the urine.

Heredity: the historical distribution of biological characteristics through a group of related individuals via their DNA.

Hereditary: inherited from one’s parents and earlier generations.

Histology: the study of the appearance and behaviour of tissue, usually carried out under a microscope by a pathologist (who is a physician) or a histologist (who is not necessarily a physician).

Homogeneous: uniform, of the same kind.

Hormone: a biologically active chemical responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics.

Hormone therapy: the use of hormones, hormone analogs, and certain surgical techniques to treat disease (in this case advanced prostate cancer) either on their own or in combination with other hormones or in combination with other methods of treatment.

Hot flash: the sudden sensation of warmth in the face, neck and upper body, a side effect of many forms of hormone therapy.

Hyperplasia: enlargement of an organ or tissue because of an increase in the number of cells in that organ or tissue; see also “BPH.”

I

Imaging: a technique or method allowing a physician to see something that would not normally be visible.

Immune system: the biological system that protects a person or animal from the effects of foreign materials such as bacteria viruses, cancer cells, and other things that might make that person or animal sick.

Implant: a device inserted into the body in order to replace or substitute for an ability that has been lost; for example, a penile implant is a device that can be surgically inserted into the penis to provide rigidity for intercourse.

Impotence: the inability to have or to maintain an erection.

Incidental: insignificant or irrelevant; for example, incidental prostate cancer (also known as latent prostate cancer) is a form of prostate cancer that is of no clinical significance to the patient in whom it is discovered.

Incontinence: leaking of or inability to control any substance, but commonly the leaking of or inability to control urine (properly called urinary incontinence).

Indication: a reason for doing something or taking some action; also used to mean the approved clinical application of a pharmaceutical drug.

Infertility: in a man with prostate problems, the inability to father a child due to prostate infection or retrograde ejaculation.

Inflammation: any form of swelling or pain or irritation.

Informed consent: in the case of a clinical trial, it means that you know what the trial is about, you understand why it is being conducted and why you have been invited to take part, and you appreciate exactly how you will be involved.

Interstitial: within a particular organ; for example, interstitial prostate radiation therapy is radiation therapy applied within the prostate using implanted radioactive pellets or seeds (see also “Brachytherapy”).

Interstitial cystitis: a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder.

Intravenous: into a vein.

Intravenous pyelogram: a procedure that introduces a radioactive substance into the urinary tract in order to allow the physician a superior image of the tract by taking an X-ray.

Invasive: requiring an incision or the insertion of an instrument or substance into the body.

IVP: see “Intravenous pyelogram”.

K

Kegel exercises: a set of exercises designed to improve the strength of the muscles of the pelvic floor, in order to augment urinary control and prevent leakage.

Kidney: one of a pair of organs whose primary function is to filter the fluids passing through the body.

L

Laparascopie : technique qui permet au médecin d’observer les organes internes à l’aide d’un appareil optique introduit dans l’or­ganisme par une minuscule incision chirurgicale.

Latent : se dit d’un cancer de la prostate – cancer de la prostate latent (ou microfocal) – qui ne manifeste aucun signe clinique et dont le patient ignore jusqu’à l’existence.

LH-RH : voir « Hormone de libération de la gonadotrophine ».

Libido : intérêt pour l’activité sexuelle.

Lobe : l’un des deux côtés d’un organe. (Ex. : la prostate ou le cerveau).

Localisé : qui se limite à une région bien définie.

Lupron : appellation commerciale de l’acétate de leuprolide aux États-Unis et au Canada.

Lycopène : pigment végétal important présent dans certains fruits.

Lymphadénectomie : intervention chirurgicale où l’on procède à l’excision d’un ganglion lymphatique.

Lymphe : liquide clair dans lequel baignent toutes les cellules de l’organisme, également connu sous l’appellation « liquide lympha­tique ».

Lymphocyte : leucocyte (ou globule blanc). La numération des globules blancs est normalement de 25 %, mais leur nombre augmente en présence d’une infection. Les lymphocytes aident à protéger le corps contre les maladies.

M

Malin : se dit d’un cancer caractérisé par la prolifération de cellules cancéreuses.

Malignité : terme général pour désigner une tumeur cancéreuse.

Métastase : tumeur secondaire formée de cellules cancéreuses qui se sont propagées à partir du cancer primitif à une autre partie du corps.

Métastasique : relatif à une tumeur métastatique.

Microscopique : se dit d’un organisme ou d’un objet trop petit pour être vu à l’œil nu, que l’on peut seulement observer au microscope.

Milieu extracellulaire : le liquide dans lequel les cellules baignent.

Molécule : la plus petite unité d’une substance, toujours douée de ses propriétés propres.

Monothérapie : traitement utilisant un seul médicament.

Mutation : changement spontané dans l’ADN d’une cellule. Certaines mutations peuvent conduire à la transformation de la cellule normale en cellule cancéreuse.

N

Néoplasie : formation anormale de nouveaux tissus, typiquement sous forme de tumeur ou de croissance excessive.

Neutre : qui n’est ni acide ni basique, sur une échelle de pH.

Nodule : petite masse anormale de tissu détectée dans la prostate lors d’un toucher rectal.

Non palpable : qui ne peut pas être détecté par palpation (toucher manuel).

Nouvelle croissance : prolifération cellulaire excessive, parfois cancéreuse.

O

Oncologie : branche de la médecine qui étudie et traite les tumeurs et le cancer.

Oncologue : médecin spécialisé dans le diagnostic et le traitement du cancer.

Organes génitaux : organes impliqués dans la reproduction, incluant le pénis, les testicules et la prostate chez l’homme.

Orchidectomie : ablation chirurgicale d’un ou des deux testicules.

Ostéoblaste : cellule impliquée dans la formation de tissu osseux.

Ostéoclaste : cellule responsable de la résorption du tissu osseux.

Ostéoporose : maladie caractérisée par une fragilité osseuse accrue.

P

Palpation : examen effectué par le médecin qui explore une zone du corps avec les mains pour en détecter les anomalies.

Pathologiste : médecin qui étudie les causes, l’évolution et la nature des maladies, en particulier par l’examen des tissus et des cellules.

Pelvien : relatif au bassin.

Pénis : organe génital externe masculin.

Péricapsulaire : autour de la capsule de la prostate.

Pharmacodynamie : étude de l’effet des médicaments sur l’organisme.

Pharmacocinétique : étude de la façon dont le médicament est absorbé, distribué, métabolisé et excrété par le corps.

Physiologie : étude du fonctionnement des organismes vivants et de leurs organes.

Placebo : substance sans effet thérapeutique administrée pour évaluer l’effet psychologique d’un traitement.

Plancher pelvien : ensemble des muscles qui soutiennent les organes situés dans le bassin.

Plastron : masse inflammatoire ou cancéreuse dans la région pelvienne.

Polype : petite excroissance bénigne pouvant se développer dans diverses parties du corps.

Prévalence : nombre de cas d’une maladie dans une population donnée à un moment donné.

Prostate : glande masculine située sous la vessie, qui produit une partie du liquide séminal.

Prostatectomie : ablation chirurgicale de la prostate.

Prostatite : inflammation de la prostate.

PSA : antigène prostatique spécifique, protéine produite par la prostate dont le taux peut être mesuré pour aider au diagnostic du cancer de la prostate.

Q

Quality of life: an evaluation of health status relative to the patient’s age, expectations, and physical and mental capabilities.

R

Radiation oncologist: a physician who has received special training regarding the treatment of cancers with different types of radiation.

Radiation therapy: (also known as radiotherapy) the use of X-rays in an attempt to destroy malignant tissues.

Radical prostatectomy: the surgical removal of the prostate and surrounding tissue and structures with the intent to cure the problem believed to be caused by or within the prostate.

Radioisotope: a type of atom (or a chemical made with a type of atom) that emits radioactivity.

Radiologist: physician who specializes in radiology, administering and interpreting X-ray, ultrasound and other imaging studies.

Radiology: a branch of medicine concerned with X-rays, ultrasound and other imaging techniques.

Randomization: the process of assigning patients by a method of chance to different forms of treatment (either the experimental group or the control group) in a research study. A way to prevent bias in research.

Rectum: the final part of the intestines ending at the anus.

Recurrence: the reappearance of disease.

Refractory: resistant to therapy.

Regression: reduction in the size of a single tumour or reduction in the number or size of several tumours.

Remission: the real or apparent disappearance of some or all of the signs and symptoms of cancer.

Resection: surgical removal of tissue.

Resectoscope: instrument inserted through the urethra and used by a urologist to cut out tissue (usually from the prostate) while seeing precisely where he is cutting.

Resistance: (in a medical sense) a patient’s ability to fight off a disease as a result of the effectiveness of his (or her) immune system.

Retention: difficulty in initiation of urination or the ability to completely empty the bladder.

Retropubic: behind or posterior to the pubic arch.

Retropubic prostatectomy: prostatectomy in which a surgical incision is made through the abdomen at a point above where the penis enters the body, cutting through the bladder to reach the prostate.

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR): a technique that allows a physician to search for tiny quantities of a protein, such as PSA, in the blood or other body fluids and tissues.

Risk: the chance or probability that a particular event will or will not happen.

RTPCR: see “Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.”

S

Salvage: a procedure intended to “rescue” a patient following the failure of a prior treatment, for example a salvage prostatectomy would be the surgical removal of the prostate after the failure of prior radiation therapy or cryosurgery.

Screening: the search for disease, such as cancer, in people without symptoms.

Scrotum: the pouch of skin containing a man’s testicles.

Secondary tumour: a tumour that spreads (metastasis) from the site where it started.

Seeds: radioactive pellets implanted in the prostate to destroy cancerous growth.

Selenium: a relatively rare non-metallic element that is found in small quantities in food and that may have some effect in prevention of cancer.

Semen: the whitish, opaque fluid emitted by a male at ejaculation.

Seminal: related to the semen.

Seminal vesicles: glands at the base of the bladder and connected to the prostate that add nutrients to the semen.

Serum: the clear liquid portion of the blood (excluding the blood cells).

Sextant: having six parts; thus, a sextant biopsy is a biopsy requiring six samples.

Side effect: a reaction to a medication or treatment (most commonly used to mean an unnecessary or undesirable effect).

Sign: physical changes that can be observed as a consequence of an illness or disease.

Single-centre clinical trial: also called single-site clinical trial; a trial that takes place at only one site and is initiated by one researcher.

Social worker: an individual who specializes in drawing on community resources to benefit people facing a major life crisis. He or she will help you make adjustments and adapt to changing social and economic environments.

Sphincter: the ring of muscles located around the urethra that regulates the passage of urine.

Stage: a term used to define the size and physical extent of a cancer.

Staging: the process of assigning a stage to a particular cancer in a specific patient in light of all the available information.

Stent: a tube used by a surgeon to drain fluids.

Stress incontinence: leakage of urine as a result of physical exertion such as coughing, sneezing, lifting an object and/or exercising.

Stricture: scarring as a result of a procedure or an injury that constricts the flow of a fluid; for example, a urethral stricture would restrict the flow of urine through the urethra.

Strontium-89: an injectable radioactive product used to relieve bone pain in some patients with prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormones or appropriate forms of chemotherapy.

Subcapsular: under the capsule; for example, a subcapsular orchiectomy is a form of castration in which the contents of each testicle is removed but the testicular capsules are then closed and remain in the scrotum.

Suprapubic: above the pubic arch.

Suprapubic prostatectomy: prostatectomy in which a surgical incision is made through the abdomen at a point above where the penis enters the body, bypassing the bladder as the cut is extended to the prostate.

Suprefact: brand or trade name of buserelin acetate in the U.S. and Canada.

Suture: surgical stitching used in the closure of a cut or incision.

Symptom: a feeling, sensation, or experience associated with or resulting from a physical or mental disorder and noticeable by the patient.

Systemic: throughout the whole body.

T

TAB: total androgen blockade; see “Maximal androgen deprivation.”

Testis: one of two male reproductive glands located inside the scrotum which are the primary source of the male hormone testosterone; plural testes.

Testicle: see “Testis.”

Testosterone: the male hormone or androgen that makes up about 90 percent of the androgens in a man’s body; it is needed to complete male sexual function and fertility.

Total androgen blockade (TAB): see “Maximal androgen deprivation.”

Transition: change; for example, the transition zone of the prostate is the area of the prostate closest to the urethra and has features which distinguish it from the much larger peripheral zone.

Transperineal: through the perineum.

Transrectal: through the rectum.

Transrectal ultrasound: a method of imaging the prostate by inserting an ultrasound probe into the rectum; commonly used to visualize prostate biopsy procedures.

Transurethral: through the urethra.

Transurethral hyperthermia (TH): new treatment for benign prostate enlargement; heat generated by a microwave transmitter alleviates urinary obstruction.

Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP): new treatment for benign prostate enlargement; a series of small cuts is made inside the urethra to alleviate urinary obstruction.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP): a surgical procedure in which part of the prostate gland surrounding the urethra is removed using a resectoscope.

Transurethral ultrasound-guided laser prostatectomy: new prostatectomy technique used with benign prostate enlargement; a laser beam guided by an ultrasound image removes excess prostate tissue that interferes with normal urination.

TRUS: see “Transrectal ultrasound.”

TUIP: see “Transurethral incision of the prostate.”

Tumour: an abnormal tissue growth that can be either benign or malignant.

TURP: see “Transurethral resection of the prostate.”

U

Ultrasound: use of ultra high-frequency sound waves to image internal organs and structures (e.g. a baby in the womb).

Understaging: the assignment of an overly low clinical stage at initial diagnosis because of the difficulty of assessing the available information with accuracy (e.g. stage T2b as opposed to stage T3b).

Unit: a surgical term for a pint (usually of blood).

Ureter: an anatomical tube that drains urine from one of the two kidneys to the bladder.

Urethra: the tube that drains urine from the bladder through the prostate and out through the penis.

Urge incontinence: the leakage of urine that occurs when the bladder has involuntary contractions. There is a strong feeling of having to urinate right away and not making it on time to the toilet.

Urgency: the need to urinate right away.

Urinary system: the group of organs and their interconnections that permit excess, filtered fluids to exit the body; including (in the male) the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, the urethra and the penis.

Urinary tract infection (UTI): an infection identifiable by the presence of bacteria in the urine; may be associated with fever, or a burning pain on urination.

Urologist: a doctor trained first as a surgeon who specializes in disorders of the genito-urinary system.

UTI: see “Urinary tract infection.”

V

Vas deferens: tube through which sperm travel from the testes to the prostate prior to ejaculation.

Vasectomy: operation to make a man sterile by cutting the vas deferens, thus preventing passage of sperm from the testes to the prostate.

Vesicle: a small saclike part (e.g. seminal vesicle) containing fluid.

W

Watchful waiting: follow-up of patients with prostate cancer until symptoms appear or the cancer spreads, at which time hormone therapy is usually given to reduce symptoms and disease progression.

Z

Zoladex: brand or trade name of goserelin acetate in the U.S. and Canada.

Zone: part or area of an organ.