Glossary of Terms
When it comes to your prostate health, knowledge is power. We at Dattoli Cancer Center understand that on your journey to acquire information about prostate cancer, related research, and various treatments, you will come across medical and scientific jargon that might need further explanation. Here we've provided a Glossary of Terms related to the topics of prostate health, prostate cancer, prostate cancer research and prostate cancer treatments and cures. You can search for a term numerically or alphabetically by selecting a character in the box below or simply scroll down through the list of terms and their corresponding definitions.
Benign
A non-cancerous condition that is relatively harmless; not malignant. See Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or benign prostatic hyperplasia
A non-cancerous condition of the prostate that results in a growth of tumorous tissue and increase in the size of the prostate gland.
Bichemical Disease Free Survival
A definition used to determine the success of a treatment by monitoring the patient's PSA over time. Also known as Biochemical Relapse Free Survival.
Biochemical Failure
An indication that a particular treatment has failed based on PSA readings over time.
Biomarker
An indicator of cell or tissue activity that can be used to monitor a state of health or disease. The PSA and PAP tests are biomarkers for prostate cancer.
Biopsy
A procedure involving the removal of tissue samples from a particular part of the body. Tissue samples are typically examined microscopically by a pathologist in order to make a precise diagnosis of the patient''s condition. In the case of prostate biopsy, the procedure is usually carried out with ultrasound guidance, using a special device called a prostate biopsy gun. At present, a prostate biopsy is the only method to positively diagnose prostate cancer. The pathology report also evaluates the aggressiveness of the cancer (see Gleason score). Negative biopsies are inconclusive and not a guarantee that no cancer exists.
Bone scan
Diagnostic image of the skeleton, used for detecting the spread of cancer to bones (see metastatic work-up). Bone scans are more sensitive than X-rays and use a radioactive agent injected into the bloodstream to identify abnormal or cancerous growths within or attached to bone.
BPH
See benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Brachytherapy (seed implantation)
A form of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are implanted into the prostate to deliver radiation directly to the tumor.
