Glossary of Terms

Surgery to remove the entire prostate and some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles.

A treatment that uses radiowaves to heat and destroy the tumor tissue.

A type of cancer treatment injected into the body that delivers radiation directly to targeted cancer cells.

The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

A substance that contains radioactive material that can be seen on a PET scan.

A radioactive drug used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to the bone and is causing symptoms but has not spread to other organs. It is used in patients whose cancer is castration resistant (has not responded to treatments that lower testosterone levels). It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Radium Ra 223-dichloride contains a radioactive substance called radium Ra 223. It collects in bone and gives off radiation that may kill cancer cells. Radium Ra 223-dichloride is a type of radiotherapeutic agent.

Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrent cancer. Also see: Biochemical Recurrence.

A technique for systematically categorizing patients based on their health status and other factors.

Minimally invasive surgery that uses a robotic system to remove the prostate gland.