Common terms
This photo does not represent an actual patient and care partner.
Understand terminology you and your loved one may hear on your prostate cancer journey
When navigating prostate cancer care, you’ll likely come across a range of medical and support-related terminology. Understanding these can help you feel more confident and informed during appointments, conversations, and planning.
You may hear terms like care partner and caregiver interchangeably. The difference is that "care partner" suggests a more equal, collaborative role. While "caregiver" often implies more of a helper or provider. The list below includes some more common terms you might hear as you care for your loved one with prostate cancer:
Active surveillance
Close monitoring of prostate cancer by a physician instead of immediate treatment.
Advanced prostate cancer (aPC)
Cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland. It cannot be cured, but treatments can help manage it, slow the cancer growth, and improve the quality of life.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)
Treatment to lower testosterone, which can slow prostate cancer growth.
Antiandrogens
Drugs that block testosterone from helping cancer grow. Often used with ADT.
Androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs)
Drugs that block cancer cells from using testosterone to grow.
Atrophy
Wasting away or decrease in size of a body part or tissue.
Biopsy
A test where a small tissue sample is taken to check for cancer cells.
Bladder
An organ that stores urine before it is excreted from the body.
BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations
Inherited or acquired gene changes that raise the risk of certain cancers, including prostate cancer.
Cash and counseling program
A Medicaid program in some states that pays family members for caregiving help.
Castration-sensitive vs castration-resistant
Refers to whether the cancer still responds to hormone-lowering treatments. "Sensitive" means it does; "resistant" means it responds inadequately or incompletely.
Chemotherapy
Strong drugs that kill cancer cells or slow their growth.
Clinical trials
Research studies that test new treatments to see if they work better than current options.
Digital rectal exam (DRE)
A procedure where a doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to check the size and condition of the prostate gland.
Estate planning
Preparing legal documents like wills or trusts to manage property, medical care, and finances in the future.
Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
The inability to achieve or maintain an erection suitable for sexual intercourse.
Fatigue
A common side effect characterized by extreme tiredness or lack of energy.
Financial toxicity
The financial burden and stress experienced by patients due to the cost of medical care.
Genetic counselor
A healthcare professional who helps patients understand genetic testing results and options.
Germline testing
A genetic test to see if someone was born with a cancer-linked gene mutation (i.e., they inherited the mutation from their parents).
Gleason score
A grading system used to evaluate the aggressiveness of prostate cancer based on biopsy results.
Gonadotropin–releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists
Drugs that reduce the production of testosterone by mimicking the function of GnRH in the pituitary gland.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists
Drugs that reduce the production of testosterone by blocking the effect of GnRH in the pituitary gland.
Hormone therapy
Treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that need hormones to grow.
Hospice care
Supportive care for people nearing the end of life, focusing on comfort and dignity.
Hot flashes
Sudden feelings of warmth, often over the face, neck, and chest, which can result in sweating; a common side effect of hormone therapy.
Imaging (MRI, CT scan, etc)
Scans that show where the cancer is and how much it has spread.
Immunotherapy
Treatment that helps the body’s immune system recognize and fight cancer.
Incontinence
The inability to control the release of urine or feces.
Infertility
The inability to conceive children.
Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP)
A minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the prostate gland using small incisions and specialized instruments.
Locally advanced
Cancer has spread outside the prostate into nearby tissues (like lymph nodes or seminal vesicles) but not to distant organs.
Lymph nodes
Small, bean-shaped structures that are part of the lymphatic system and help in fighting infections and diseases.
Male hormones (Androgens)
Hormones such as testosterone that are responsible for male traits and reproductive activity.
Medicare/Medicaid
Government insurance programs that may help cover cancer treatment costs.
Metastatic
Cancer that has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, such as bones, lungs, or liver.
Myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia
Rare but serious blood conditions that can sometimes occur as a side effect of cancer treatment.
Orchiectomy
Surgical removal of one or both testicles to reduce testosterone production.
PARP inhibitors (PARPis)
Targeted drugs that stop cancer cells from repairing themselves, especially in people with BRCA mutations.
Palliative care
Care focused on relieving symptoms and improving comfort, not curing the disease.
Patient Advocate Foundation
An organization that helps people with serious illnesses manage insurance, costs, and access to care.
Performance status
A measure of how well a person can handle daily activities and medical treatments.
Power of attorney
A legal document giving someone else the right to make decisions for another person if they are unable to.
Progression
A term used when cancer grows or spreads. It helps doctors decide the next steps in treatment.
Prostate gland
A walnut-sized gland in males that produces seminal fluid, located below the bladder.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
A protein made by the prostate. High levels in the blood can signal prostate problems, including cancer.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test
A test measuring the level of PSA in the blood, used to screen for and monitor prostate cancer.
Prostatectomy
Surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland.
Radiation therapy
The use of high-energy rays or particles to kill or damage cancer cells.
Radioligand therapy (RLT)
Delivers radiation directly to cancer cells to slow growth or relieve symptoms.
Radical retropubic prostatectomy
Surgical removal of the prostate gland and some surrounding tissue through an incision in the lower abdomen.
Recurrence
Cancer that has returned after initial treatment.
Rectum
The final section of the large intestine, terminating at the anus.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP)
A type of laparoscopic prostate surgery performed with the assistance of robotic technology for increased precision.
Second opinion
Getting advice from another doctor to confirm or explore treatment options.
Semen
The fluid that contains sperm, produced by the prostate and other glands.
Seminal vesicles
Glands that secrete a significant portion of the fluid that becomes semen.
Shared decision-making
When patients, care partners, and doctors work together to choose the best treatment plan.
Side effects
Unwanted effects or problems caused by treatment, such as fatigue, nausea, or mood changes.
Somatic testing
Looks for gene changes in the cancer itself—not inherited (i.e., acquired during a person's lifetime) but may affect treatment choices.
Sperm
Male reproductive cells produced in the testicles.
Staging
The process of determining the extent and spread of cancer within the body.
Subcutaneous
Located or applied under the skin.
Testicles
Male reproductive glands located in the scrotum that produce sperm and testosterone.
Testicular atrophy
Shrinkage of the testicles, which can be a side effect of hormone therapy.
Testosterone
The primary male sex hormone responsible for the development of male reproductive tissues and secondary sexual characteristics.
Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)
An imaging test that uses sound waves to create a picture of the prostate gland.
Treatment goals
What a patient and their care team wants from treatment—like controlling symptoms, prolonging life, or improving comfort.
Urethra
The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Wholesale acquisition cost (WAC)
The price that wholesalers pay to purchase a drug from the manufacturer, not including discounts or rebates.
What are care partners’ most frequently asked questions?