The PPML "glossary" (A THROUGH M)
which contains terminology used in the various discussions of Prostate Cancer and it's treatment:
From: "L-Soft list server at St. John's University (1.8c)"
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GLOSSARY OF PCa RELATED TERMS
Postings refer to those on the Prostate Problems Discussion
internet subscriber mailing list PROSTATE@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU
-PATHY: suffix meaning disease, treatment of disease
ABLATION: reduction of; e.g., in the management of prostate cancer, hormonal ablation means the use of hormonal techniques to reduce the spread of prostate cancer cells and cryoablation means the use of
deep freezing techniques to reduce the number of live prostate and prostate cancer cells
ADENOCARCINOMA: a form of cancer that develops from a
malignant abnormality in the cells lining a glandular
organ such as the prostate; almost all prostate cancers
are adenocarcinomas
ADJUVANT: an additional treatment used to increase the
effectiveness of the primary therapy; radiation
therapy and hormonal therapy are often used as adjuvant
treatments following a radical prostatectomy
ADRENAL GLANDS: the two adrenal glands are located above the
kidneys; they produce a variety of different hormones,
including sex hormones -- the adrenal androgens
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE: an enzyme in blood, bone, kidney,
spleen, and lungs; used to detect bone or liver
metastasis
ALPHA-BLOCKERS: pharmaceuticals that act on the prostate by
relaxing certain types of muscle tissue; these
pharmaceuticals are often used in the treatment of BPH
ANALOG: a synthetic chemical or pharmaceutical that behaves
very like a normal chemical in the body, e.g., LHRH
analogs
ANANDRON: trade or brand name for nilutamide
ANDROCUR: trade name for cyproterone, and antiandrogen
ANDROGEN: a hormone which is responsible for male
characteristics and the development and function of
male sexual organs (e.g., testosterone) produced mainly
by the testicles but also in the cortex of the adrenal
glands
ANEUPLOID: having an abnormal number of sets of chromosomes;
e.g., tetraploid means having two paired sets of
chromosomes, which is twice as many as normal;
aneuploid cancer cells tend not to respond well to
hormone therapy; see also diploid
ANGIOGENESIS: the formation of new blood vessels; a
characteristic of tumors
ANTERIOR: the front; e.g., the anterior of the
prostate is the part of the prostate that faces forward
ANTIANDROGEN: a compound (usually a synthetic
pharmaceutical) which blocks or otherwise interferes
with the normal action of androgens at cellular
receptor sites
ANTIANDROGEN WITHDRAWAL RESPONSE (AAWR): a decrease in PSA
caused by the withdrawal of an antiandrogen such as
Casodex or flutamide after CHT begins to fail; occurs
when there are PCa cells that have mutated to feed on
the anti-androgen rather than T and DHT; withdrawal
kills those cells.
ANTIBIOTIC: a pharmaceutical that can kill certain types of
bacteria
ANTIBODY: protein produced by the immune system as a defense
against an invading or "foreign" material or substance
(an antigen); e.g., when you get a cold, your
body produces antibodies to the cold virus
ANTICOAGULANT: a pharmaceutical that helps to stop the blood
from clotting
ANTIGEN: "foreign" material introduced into the body (e.g.,
a virus or bacterium) or other material
which the immune system considers to be "foreign"
because it is not part of the body's normal biology
(e.g., prostate cancer cells)
APEX: the tip or bottom of the prostate, e.g., the part of
the prostate farthest away from the bladder
APOPTOSIS: natural cell death caused by natural genetic
processes that occur in the cell; often called
"programmed cell death"; cells may become cancerous
(immortal) or resistant to drugs that cause apoptosis
if there is a mutation in the genes that regulate
apoptosis.
AREDIA: medicine that inhibits bone resorption; used for
treating high calcium content in blood associated with
malignancy, and sometimes in bone pain palliation
ASPIRATION: the use of suction to remove fluid or tissue,
usually through a fine needle (e.g., aspiration biopsy)
ASYMPTOMATIC: having no recognizable symptoms of a
particular disorder
AUTOLOGOUS: one's own; e.g., autologous blood is a
patient's own blood which is removed prior to surgery
in case a patient needs a transfusion during or after
surgery
BASE: the base of the prostate is the wide part at the top
of the prostate closest to the bladder
BENIGN: relatively harmless; not cancerous; not malignant
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (or HYPERTROPHY) (BPH): A
noncancerous condition of the prostate that results in
the growth of both glandular and stromal (supporting
connective) tumorous tissue, enlarging the prostate
and obstructing urination (see prostatitis)
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY (BPH): similar to benign
prostatic hyperplasia, but caused by an increase in the
size of cells rather than the growth of more cells
BICALUTAMIDE: a nonsteroidal antiandrogen available in the
USA and some European countries for the treatment of
advanced prostate cancer; half-life 7 to 10 days; PSA
response to withdrawal 6 to 7 weeks; E.J. Small et al.
Proceedings of ASCO Vol. 15 May 1996 abstract #658
BILATERAL: both sides; e.g., a bilateral orchiectomy
is an orchiectomy in which both testicles are removed
and a bilateral adrenalectomy is an operation in which
both adrenal glands are removed
BIOPSY: sampling of tissue from a particular part of the
body (e.g., the prostate) in order to check for
abnormalities such as cancer; in the case of prostate
cancer, biopsies are usually carried out under
ultrasound guidance using a specially designed device
known as a prostate biopsy gun; removed tissue is
typically examined microscopically by a pathologist in
order to make a precise diagnosis of the patient's
condition
BLADDER: the hollow organ in which urine is collected and
stored in the body
BLOOD CHEMISTRY: measured concentrations of many chemicals
in the blood; abnormal values can indicate spread of
cancer or side effects of therapy
BLOOD COUNT: analysis of blood cells and platelets; abnormal
values can indicate cancer in the bone or side effects
of therapy
BONE MARROW: soft tissue in bone cavities that produces
blood cells
BONE SCAN: a technique more sensitive than conventional
x-rays which uses a radiolabeled agent to identify
abnormal or cancerous growths within or attached
to bone; in the case of prostate cancer, a bone
scan is used to identify bony metastases which are
definitive for cancer which has escaped from the
prostate; metastases appear as "hot spots" on the film;
however the absence of hot spots does not prove the
absence of tiny metastases
BPH: see BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA
BRACHYTHERAPY: A form of radiation therapy in which
radioactive seeds or pellets which emit radiation are
implanted in order to kill surrounding tissue (e.g.,
the prostate, including prostate cancer cells)
CAB: COMPLETE ANDROGEN BLOCKADE (see CHT)
CANCER: the growth of abnormal cells in the body in an
uncontrolled manner; unlike benign tumors, these tend
to invade surrounding tissues, and spread to distant
sites of the body vis the blood stream and lymphatic
system
CAPSULE: the fibrous tissue which acts as an outer lining of
the prostate
CARCINOMA: a form of cancer that originates in tissues which
line or cover a particular organ; See ADENOCARCINOMA
CASODEX: brand or trade name of bicalutamide in the USA
CASTRATION: the use of surgical or medical techniques to
eliminate testosterone produced by the testes
CAT SCAN: COMPUTERIZED AXIAL TOMOGRAPHY (also CT) is a
method of combining images from multiple x-rays under
the control of a computer to produce cross-sectional or
three-dimensional pictures of the internal organs which
can be used to identify abnormalities; the CAT scan
can identify prostate enlargement but is not always
effective for assessing the stage of prostate cancer;
for evaluating metastases of the lymph nodes or more
distant soft tissue sites, the CAT scan is
significantly more accurate
CATHETER: a hollow (usually flexible plastic) tube which can
be used to drain fluids from or inject fluids into the
body; in the case of prostate cancer, it is common for
patients to have a transurethral catheter to drain
urine for some time after treatment by surgery or some
forms of radiation therapy
CDUS: COLOR-FLOW DOPPLER ULTRASOUND; an ultrasound method
that more clearly images tumors by observing the
Doppler shift in sound waves caused by the rapid flow
of blood through tiny blood vessels that are
characteristic of tumors
CGA: chromogranin A; a small cell prostate cancer or
neuroendocrine cell marker
CHEMOPREVENTION: the use of a pharmaceutical or other
substance to prevent the development of cancer
CHEMOTHERAPY: the use of pharmaceuticals or other chemicals
to kill cancer cells; in many cases chemotherapeutic
agents kill not only cancer cells but also other cells
in the body, which makes such agents potentially very
dangerous
CHT: COMBINED HORMONAL THERAPY: the use of more than one
hormone in therapy; especially the use of LHRH analogs
(e.g., Lupron, Zoladex) to block the production of
testosterone by the testes, plus antiandrogens (e.g.,
Casodex (bicalutamide), Eulexin (flutamide), Anadron
(nilutamide), Androcur (cyproterone)) to compete with
DHT for cell sites thereby depriving cancer cells of
DHT needed for growth
CLINICAL TRIAL: a carefully planned experiment to evaluate a
treatment or a medication (often a new pharmaceutical)
for an unproven use; Phase I trials are very
preliminary short-term trials involving a few patients
to see if drugs have any activity or any serious side
effects; Phase II trials may involve 20 to 50 patients
and are designed to estimate the most active dose of a
new drug and determine its side effects; Phase III
trials involve many patients and compare a new therapy
against the current standard or best available therapy
COMBINATION THERAPY: see CHT
COMPLICATION: an unexpected or unwanted effect of a
treatment, pharmaceutical, or other procedure
CONFORMATIONAL THERAPY: the use of careful planning and
delivery techniques designed to focus radiation on the
areas of the prostate and surrounding tissue which need
treatment and protect areas which do not need
treatment; three-dimensional conformational therapy is
a more sophisticated form of this method
CONTRACTURE: scarring which can occur at the bladder neck
after a radical prostatectomy and which results in
narrowing of the passage between the bladder and the
urethra
CORPORA CAVERNOSA: a part of a man's penis which fills with
blood when he is sexually excited, giving the organ the
stiffness required for intercourse
cORPORA SPONGIOSUM: a spongy chamber in a man's penis which
fills with blood when he is sexually excited, giving
the organ the stiffness required for intercourse
CRYOABLATION: see cryosurgery
CRYOSURGERY: the use of liquid nitrogen probes to freeze a
particular organ to extremely low temperatures to kill
the tissue, including any cancerous tissue; When used
to treat prostate cancer, the cryoprobes are guided by
transrectal ultrasound
CRYOTHERAPY: see cryosurgery
CT SCAN: COMPUTERIZED or COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY; See CAT SCAN
CYPROTERONE: an antiandrogen
CYSTOSCOPE: an instrument used by physicians to look inside
the bladder and the urethra
CYSTOSCOPY: the use of a cystoscope to look inside the
bladder and the urethra
CYTOKINES: growth factors important to cellular function
DEBULKING: reduction of the volume of cancer by one of
several techniques; most frequently used to imply
surgical debulking
DES: see diethylstilbestrol
DHT: see dihydrotestosterone
DIAGNOSIS: the evaluation of signs, symptoms, and selected
test results by a physician to determine the physical
and biological causes of the signs and symptoms and
whether a specific disease or disorder is involved
DIETHYLSTILBESTROL: a female hormone commonly used in the
1960s and 1970s for treatment of prostate cancer
DIGEST: see PC DIGEST
DIGITAL RECTAL EXAMINATION: the use by a physician of a
lubricated and gloved finger inserted into the rectum
to feel for abnormalities of the prostate and rectum
DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE: (DHT) (5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone) the
male hormone which is most active in the prostate; it
is made when an enzyme (5 alpha reductase) in the
prostate stimulates the transformation of testosterone
to DHT
DIFFERENTIATION: the use of the differences between prostate
cancer cells when seen under the microscope as a method
to grade the severity of the disease; well
differentiated cells are easily recognized as normal
cells, while poorly differentiated cells are abnormal,
cancerous and difficult to recognize as belonging to
any particular type of cell group; see also the 6/13/96
posting by Dr. Oppenheimer: Re:What's "Differentiated"?
DIPLOID: having one complete set of normally paired
chromosomes, i.e., a normal amount of DNA; diploid
cancer cells tend to grow slowly and respond well to
hormone therapy
DNA: DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID; the basic biologically active
chemical which defines the physical development and
growth of nearly all living organisms
DOUBLE-BLIND: a form of clinical trial in which neither the
physician nor the patient knows the actual treatment
which any individual patient is receiving; double-blind
trials are a way of minimizing the effects of the
personal opinions of patients and physicians on the
results of the trial
DOUBLING TIME: the time that it takes a particular focus of
cancer to double in size
DOWNSIZING: the use of hormonal or other forms of management
to reduce the volume of prostate cancer in and/or
around the prostate prior to attempted curative
treatment
DOWNSTAGING: the use of hormonal or other forms of
management in the attempt to lower the clinical stage
of prostate cancer prior to attempted curative
treatment (e.g., from stage T3a to stage T2b); this
technique is highly controversial
DRE: see digital rectal examination
DYSPLASIA: see PIN
DYSURIA: urination which is problematic or painful
EDEMA: swelling or accumulation of fluid in some part of
the body
EJACULATORY DUCTS: The tubular passages through which
semen reaches the prostatic urethra during orgasm
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: See IMPOTENCE
EMCYT: the brand or trade name of estramustine phosphate in
the USA
ENDOGENOUS: inherent naturally to the organism
ERYTHROPOEITIN (EPO): a protein normally produced by the
kidneys and stimulates the bone marrow to produce more
red blood cells
ESTRAMUSTINE PHOSPHATE: a chemotherapeutic agent used in the
treatment of some patients with late stage prostate
cancer
ESTROGEN: a female hormone; certain estrogens (e.g.,
diethylstilbestrol) are used by some physicians in
treatment of prostate cancer
EULEXIN: the brand or trade name of flutamide in the USA
EXPERIMENTAL: an unproven (or even untested) technique or
procedure; note that certain experimental treatments
are commonly used in the management of prostate cancer
EXTERNAL RADIATION THERAPY (also EXTERNAL BEAM THERAPY): a
form of radiation therapy in which the radiation is
delivered by a machine pointed at the area to be
radiated
FALSE NEGATIVE: an erroneous negative test result; e.g., an
imaging test that fails to show the presence of a cancer
tumor later found by biopsy to be present is said to have
a false negative result
FALSE POSITIVE: a positive test result mistakenly
identifying a condition that does not in fact exist
FINASTERIDE: an inhibitor of the enzyme (5 alpha-reductase)
that stimulates the conversion of testosterone to DHT;
used to treat BPH
FLARE REACTION: a temporary increase in tumor growth and
symptoms caused by LHRH agonists; can be mild to
dangerous; may be prevented by taking an antiandrogen
(Casodex) several days before starting LHRH agonist
(Lupron or Zoladex)
FLOW CYTOMETRY: a measurement method that determines the
fraction of cells that are diploid, tetraploid,
aneuploid, etc.
FLUTAMIDE: an antiandrogen used in the palliative hormonal
treatment of advanced prostate cancer and sometimes in
the adjuvant and neoadjuvant hormonal treatment of
earlier stages of prostate cancer; normal dosage is 2
capsules every 8 hours (not just at meals).
FREE PSA: see PSA-II
FREQUENCY: the need to urinate often
GLAND: a structure or organ which produces a substance which
is used in another part of the body
GLEASON: name of physician who developed the Gleason grading
system commonly used to grade prostate cancer
GLEASON SCORE: a widely used method for classifying the
cellular differentiation of cancerous tissues; the
less the cancerous cells appear like normal cells, the
more malignant the cancer; two numbers, each from 1-5,
are assigned successively to the two most predominant
patterns of differentiation present in the examined
tissue sample and are added together to produce the
Gleason score; high numbers indicate poor
differentiation and therefore cancer
GNRH - genadotropin-releasing hormone, see LHRH ANALOGS
GOSERELIN ACETATE: a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone
analog used in the palliative hormonal treatment of
advanced prostate cancer and sometimes in the
adjuvant and neoadjuvant hormonal treatment of earlier
stages of prostate cancer
GRADE: a means of describing the potential degree of
severity of a cancer based on the appearance of cancer
cells under a microscope; see also Gleason Score
GYNECOMASTIA: enlargement or tenderness of the male breasts
or nipples; a possible side effect of hormonal therapy
HEMATOSPERMIA: the occurrence of blood in the semen
HEMATURIA: the occurrence of blood in the urine
HEREDITARY: inherited (via DNA) from parents and
earlier generations
HISTOLOGY: the study of the appearance and behavior of
tissue, usually carried out under a microscope by a
pathologist (who is a physician) or a histologist (who
is not necessarily a physician)
HORMONE: biologically active chemicals that are 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; because prostate
cancer is usually dependent on male hormones to grow,
hormonal therapy can be an effective means of
alleviating symptoms and retarding the development of
the disease
HOT FLASH: the sudden sensation of warmth in the face, neck
and upper body; a side effect of many forms of hormone
therapy
HYPERCALCEMIA: abnormally high concentrations of calcium in
the blood, indicating leeching of calcium from bone
(tumors raise serum calcium levels by destroying bone
or by releasing PTH or a PTH-like substance,
osteoclast-activating factor, prostaglandins, and
perhaps, a vitamin D-like sterol). Symptoms of
hypercalcemia may include drowsiness, lethargy,
headaches, depression or apathy, irritability,
confusion; weakness, muscle flaccidity, bone pain,
pathologic fractures; signs of heart block, cardiac
arrest in systole, hypertension; anorexia, nausea,
vomiting, constipation, dehydration, polydipsia; renal
polyuria, flank pain, and eventually, azotemia (excess
of urea or other nitrogenous substances in the blood).
HYPERPLASIA: enlargement of an organ or tissue because of an
increase in the number of cells in that organ or
tissue; see also BPH
HYPERTHERMIA: treatment that uses heat; e.g. heat
produced by microwave radiation
IMAGING: a technique or method allowing a physician to see
something which would not normally be visible
IMMUNE SYSTEM: the biological system which protects a person
or animal from the effects of foreign materials such as
bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and other things which
might make that person or animal sick
IMPLANT: a device that is inserted into the body; e.g., a
tiny container of radioactive material inserted in or
near a tumor; also a device inserted in order to
replace or substitute for an ability which has been
lost; e.g., a penile implant is a device which
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; e.g., incidental
prostate cancer (i.e, latent prostate cancer) is
a form of prostate cancer which is of no clinical
significance to the patient in whom it is discovered
INCONTINENCE: (urinary incontinence) loss of urinary
control; there are various kinds and degrees of
incontinence; overflow incontinence is a condition in
which the bladder retains urine after voiding; as a
consequence, the bladder remains full most of the time,
resulting in involuntary seepage of urine from the
bladder; stress incontinence is the involuntary
discharge of urine when there is increased pressure
upon the bladder, as in coughing or straining to lift
heavy objects; total incontinence is the inability to
voluntarily exercise control over the sphincters of the
bladder neck and urethra, resulting in total loss of
retentive ability
INDICATION: a reason for doing something or taking some
action; also used to mean the approved clinical
application of a pharmaceutical
INFORMED CONSENT: permission to proceed given by a
patient after being fully informed of the purposes and
potential consequences of a medical procedure
INTERFERON: a body protein that affects antibody production
and can modulate (regulate) the immune system
INTERLEUKIN: a blood protein that helps fight infection
and cancer
INTERSTITIAL: within a particular organ; e.g., interstitial
prostate radiation therapy is radiation
therapy applied within the prostate using implanted
radioactive pellets or seeds; see also brachytherapy
INTRAVENOUS (IV): into a vein
INVASIVE: requiring an incision or the insertion of an
instrument or substance into the body
INVESTIGATIONAL: a drug or procedure allowed by the FDA
for use in clinical trials
IVP: INTRAVENOUS PYELOGRAM; a procedure which introduces an
X-ray absorbing dye into the urinary tract in order to
allow the physician a superior image of the tract by
taking an x-ray; used to check for the spread of cancer
to the kidneys and bladder
KEGEL EXERCISES: a set of exercises designed to improve the
strength of the muscles used in urinating
KETOCONAZOLE (HDK): high doses (400mg every 8 hours) shut
down the adrenal gland cortex, eliminating its
production of testosterone; used with LHRH agonist
(e.g. Lupron) to eliminate essentially all testosterone
when CHT fails; hydrocortisone (HC) tablets must be
taken to replace the HC that the adrenal cortex also
stops producing; HC is essential to life and must not
be stopped suddenly; E.J. Small et al. Proceedings of
ASCO Vol. 15 May 1996 abstract #657
KIDNEY: one of a pair of organs whose primary function is to
filter the fluids passing through the body
LAPAROSCOPY: a technique which allows the physician to
observe internal organs directly through a piece of
optical equipment inserted directly into the body
through a small surgical incision
LATENT: insignificant or irrelevant; e.g., latent prostate
cancer (i.e., incidental prostate cancer) is a form of
prostate cancer which is of no clinical significance to
the patient in whom it is discovered
LEUPROLIDE ACETATE: a LHRH analog
LHRH: see luteinizing hormone releasing hormone
LHRH ANALOGS (or AGONISTS): Synthetic compounds that are
chemically similar to Luteinizing Hormone Releasing
Hormone (LHRH), but are sufficiently different that
they suppress testicular production of testosterone by
binding to the LHRH receptor in the pituitary gland and
either have no biological activity and therefore
competitively inhibits the action of LHRH, or has LHRH
activity that exhausts the production of LH by the
pituitary; used in the palliative hormonal treatment of
advanced prostate cancer and sometimes in the adjuvant
and neoadjuvant hormonal treatment of earlier stages of
prostate cancer
LIBIDO: interest in sexual activity
LNCap: a line of human prostate cancer cells used in
laboratory studies
LOBE: one of the two sides of an organ which clearly has two
sides (e.g., the prostate or the brain)
LUPRON: the USA trade or brand name of leuprolide acetate,
a LHRH agonist
LUTEINIZING HORMONE RELEASING HORMONE: a hormone responsible
for stimulating the production of testosterone in the
body
LYMPH (also LYMPHATIC FLUID): the clear fluid in which all
of the cells in the body are constantly bathed; carries
cells that help fight infection
LYMPH NODES: the small glands which occur throughout the
body and which filter the clear fluid known as lymph or
lymphatic fluid; lymph nodes filter out bacteria and
other toxins, as well as cancer cells
LYMPHADENECTOMY Also knows as a pelvic lymph node
dissection, this procedure involves the removal and
microscopic examination of selected lymph nodes, a
common site of metastatic disease with prostate
cancer; this procedure can be performed during
surgery prior to the removal of the prostate gland,
or by means of a small incision a "laparoscopic
lymphadenectomy" may be performed, a simple operation
requiring only an overnight stay in the hospital
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM: the tissue and organs that produce , store
and carry cells that fight infection; includes bone
marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and channels that
carry lymph fluid
MAB: MAXIMAL ANDROGEN BLOCKADE (see CHT)
MAD: MAXIMAL ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION (see CHT)
MAGNETIC RESONANCE: absorption of specific frequencies of
radio and microwave radiation by atoms placed in a
strong magnetic field
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI): the use of magnetic
resonance with atoms in body tissues to produce
distinct cross-sectional, and even three-dimensional
images of internal organs; MRI is primarily of use in
staging biopsy-proven prostate cancer
MALIGNANCY: a growth or tumor composed of cancerous cells
MALIGNANT: cancerous; tending to become progressively worse
and to result in death; having the invasive and
metastatic (spreading) m properties of cancer
MARGIN: normally used to mean the "surgical margin," which
is the outer edge of the tissue removed during surgery;
if the surgical margin shows no sign of cancer
("negative margins"), then the prognosis is good
MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST: an oncologist primarily trained in the
use of medicines (rather than surgery) to treat cancer
METASTASIS: (plural is METASTASES) a secondary tumor formed
as a result of a cancer cell or cells from the primary
tumor site (e.g., the prostate) traveling through the
body to a new site and then growing there
METASTASIZE: spread of a malignant tumor to other parts of
the body
METASTATIC: having the characteristics of a secondary tumor
METASTATIC WORK UP: a group of tests, including bone
scans, x-rays, and blood tests, to ascertain whether
cancer has metastasized
METASTRON: the brand or trade name of strontium-89 in the US
MISSTAGING: the assignment of an incorrect clinical stage at
initial diagnosis because of the difficulty of
assessing the available information with accuracy
MONOCLONAL: formed from a single group of identical cells
MRI: see MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
MORBIDITY: unhealthy consequences and complications
resulting from treatment
MUTATION: a sudden variation in an inherited characteristic;
mutations of androgen-receptor genes have been found in
patients with metastatic androgen-independent
(refractory) PCa; two of these receptors could be
activated by progestorone and estrogen, indicating that
such mutations could be one reason PCa becomes
refractory. Mary-Ellen Taplin, et al., The New England
J. of Medicine, 332:1393-1398 (May 25, 1995).
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