The following is a (non-comprehensive) list of abbreviations that you may come across in reading about prostate cancer. The “New” Prostate Cancer InfoLink thanks Tony Crispino for his initial development of this helpful list, which will undoubtedly grow over time.
If you come across other abbreviations that you think should be added (with or without their definitions), please send them via the comment box at the bottom of the page.
- AAT = androgen ablation therapy (same as ADT and HT)
- AAWR = anti-androgen withdrawal response
- ABDCTSCAN = abdominal CAT scan
- ACS = American Cancer Society
- ACTH = adrenal corticotropic hormone (also known as corticotropin)
- ADT = androgen deprivation therapy (same as AAT and HT)
- ADT3 = triple androgen deprivation therapy (same as ADT but with the addition of finasteride/Proscar or dutasteride/Avodart)
- AG = aminoglutethemide
- AFUD = American Foundation for Urologic Disease (no longer exists; now replaced by the AUA Foundation)
- ALK PHOS = alkaline phosphatase
- ALT = alanine aminotransferase
- ANEUP = aneuploid
- AS = active surveillance
- ASCO = American Society of Clinical Oncology
- AST = aspartate aminotransferase
- ASTRO = American Society for [Therapeutic] Radiology and Oncology
- AT = aneuploid/tetraploid
- AUA = American Urological Association
- AUS = artificial urinary sphincter
- BILI = bilirubin
- BMD = bone mineral density
- BMI = body mass index
- BP = Bluestein prediction
- BPH = benign prostatic hyperplasia (also hypertrophy)
- BPSA = baseline PSA (used to mean either an initial PSA value taken long before any risk of prostate cancer is suspected or a PSA value at the time of diagnosis)
- BRACHY = brachytherapy
- BS = bone scan
- BTW = by the way
- BUN = blood urea nitrogen
- B/P = blood pressure
- BX = biopsy
- CAB = complete androgen blockade (the combination of either surgical or medical castration with an antiandrogen like bicalutamide/Casodex)
- CaP = cancer of the prostate
- CAT SCAN = computerized axial tomography (same as CT scan)
- CBC = complete blood count
- CDUS = color-flow Doppler ultrasound
- CEA = carcinoembryonic antigen
- CGA = chromogranin A
- CHB = combined hormone blockade (see also CAB, CHT, CHB2, CHT2)
- CHB2 = CHB with 2 medications (e.g., Lupron + Casodex)
- CHB3 = CHB with 3 medications (e.g., CHB2 + Proscar)
- CHBNDT = CHB non-detectable [PSA] time
- CHEMO = chemotherapy
- CHT = combined hormonal therapy or treatment (see also CAB, CHB)
- CHTx3 or CHT3 = see CHB3
- CIS = cancer information service (of the National Cancer Institute)
- CPA = cyproterone acetate
- CP = capsular penetration
- CRPC = castration-resistant prostate cancer
- CREAT = creatinine
- CRYO = cryotherapy, cryoablation, cryosurgery
- CS = clinical stage
- CT SCAN = computerized tomography (also known as CAT scan or CT scan)
- D = diploid
- DART = dynamic adaptive radiation therapy
- DES = diethylstilbestrol (an estrogen)
- DHEA = dihydroepiandrosterone
- DHEA-S = DHEA sulfate
- DHT = dihydrotestosterone
- DI = diploid index
- DIP = diploid
- DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid
- DRE = digital rectal examination
- DX = diagnosis
- DXM = dexamethasone (Decadron)
- EBR = external beam radiation
- EBRT = external beam radiation therapy
- ED = erectile dysfunction
- EKG = electrocardiogram
- ELISA – enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- EPE = extra-prostatic extension
- EPO = erythropoeitin (Procrit, Epogen)
- EXBT = external beam therapy
- EXRT = external radiation therapy
- FDA = Food and Drug Administration (USA)
- FLA = focal laser ablation
- FP = family practitioner
- FYA = for your amusement
- FYI = for your information
- G = Gleason score
- GG = Gleason grade
- GnRH = gonadotropin-releasing hormone (see also LHRH)
- GP = general practitioner
- GS = Gleason score
- HA = hormone ablation
- HB = hormone blockade
- HC = hydrocortisone
- HCT = hemotocrit
- HDK = high dose ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- HDR = high dose rate (as in HDR brachytherapy)
- HEM/ONC – hematologic oncologist
- HGB = hemoglobin
- HIFU = high intensity focused ultrasound
- HMO = health maintenance organization
- HPF = high powered field (under a microscope)
- HRPC = hormone-refractory (or hormone-resistant) prostate cancer
- HT = hormone therapy (same as AAT and ADT)
- HX = medical history
- IADT = intermittent androgen deprivation therapy
- IAS = intermittent androgen suppression
- ICHT = intermittent combined hormone therapy
- IGRT = image-guided radiation therapy
- IHT = intermittent hormone therapy
- IMHO = in my humble opinion
- IMNSHO = in my not so humble opinion
- IMRT = intensity-modulated radiation therapy
- IPP = inflatable (or sometimes internal) penile prosthesis
- IVP = intravenous pyelogram
- IV = intravenous, into a vein
- Keto = ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- LAFB = left anterior fascicular block
- LARP = laproscopic robotic prostatectomy (see also RALP)
- LF = laser fulguration (also: left side or flank)
- LHRH = luteinizing hormone releasing hormone
- LNCaP = cell line of human prostate cancer used in laboratory studies
- LRP = laproscopic radical prostatectomy
- M0-M1 = status of cancer metastasis (subset of staging)
- MAB = maximal androgen blockade (same as CAB)
- MAD = maximal androgen deprivation (same as CAB)
- MCP = modified citrus pectin
- MD = moderately differentiated or medical doctor
- MED/ONC = medical oncologist
- MRI = magnetic resonance imaging
- N0-N3 = status of cancer in the lymph nodes (subset of staging)
- NCI = National Cancer Institute (USA)
- NDPSA = non-detectable PSA
- NEG = negative
- NHB = neoadjuvant hormone blockade
- NHT = neoadjuvant hormone therapy
- NIH = National Institutes of Health (USA)
- NL = nil (non-detectable response)
- NP = Narayan prediction
- NSAID = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, examples include things like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and ibuprofen
- NSE = neuron-specific enolase
- ONC = oncologist
- ORCH = orchiectomy
- P53 = p53 gene
- PAACT = Patient Advocates for Advancement in Cancer Therapy
- PAP = prostatic acid phosphatase
- PBRT = proton beam radiation therapy or prostate bed radiation therapy
- PC = prostate cancer
- PCa = prostate cancer
- PCA3 = prostate cancer gene 3 (a genetic marker for prostate cancer), also used to mean a urine test designed to indentify the presence or absence of this genetic marker (properly “PCA3 test”)
- PCD = prostate cancer [personal] digest
- PD = poorly differentiated
- PDQ = Physician’s Data Query (a service of the National Cancer Institute)
- PHI or phi = Prostate Health Index (a commercially available test for prostate cancer-associated risk derived from the original PSA test and related data)
- PIN = prostatic intraepithelial (or intraductal) neoplasia
- PI-RADS = prostate imaging-recording and data system (used in assessment and evaluation of MRI scans for risk of prostate cancer)
- PNI = perineural invasion
- POS = positive
- PP = Partin prediction
- PPO = preferred provider organization
- PRL = prolactin
- PRP = see RPP
- PSA = prostate specific antigen
- PSA II = prostate specific antigen type II assay
- PSA RTPCR = PSA reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
- PSADT = PSA doubling time
- PSAV = PSA velocity
- PSM = prostate specific membrane
- PSMA = prostate specific membrane antigen
- PV = prostate volume
- PZ = peripheral zone (of the prostate)
- QOL = quality of life
- RAD/ONC = radiation oncologist
- RALP = robot-assisted laproscopic prostatectomy (similar to LRP but with “robotic” assistance)
- RO = radiation oncologist
- RP = radical prostatectomy
- RPP = radical perineal prostatectomy
- RRP = radical retropubic prostatectomy
- RT = radiation therapy; also: right side
- RT-PCR or RTPCR = reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
- RTPCR PSA = reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction done on PSA
- RTPCR PSM = reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction done on PSM
- RX = prescription
- SBRT = stereotactic body radiation therapy
- SE = side effects
- SI = seed implantation
- SVI = seminal vesicle invasion (or involvement)
- T = testosterone, also tetraploid
- T0-T4 = status of cancer in the prostate itself (subset of staging)
- TAB = total androgen blockade
- TETRA = tetraploid
- TRT = testosterone replacement therapy
- TRUS – transrectal ultrasound
- TRUS-P or TRUSP = transrectal ultrasound of the prostate
- TTND – time to non-detectable
- TURP or TUR/P = transurethral resection of the prostate
- TX = treatment
- TZ = transition zone (of prostate)
- URO = urologist
- US = ultrasound
- UTI = urinary track infection
- WBC = white blood cell count
- WBC/HPF = white blood cells counted per high powered field (of a microscope)
- WD = well differentiated
- WPRT = whole pelvic radiation therapy
- WW = watchful waiting
- XRT = external radiation therapy
- YO = year(s) old
THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK 
Great tool. I had started to make sense of some of those numerous abbreviations but I had given up. I would appreciate also a list of all the various drugs associated with prostate cancer: name, type, main use, rating (another one does a better job for that use).
Thanks
Re NSAID. Acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory drug in the same way that aspirin and Ibuprofen are.
Acetaminophen has a different mode of action and different side effects to traditional NSAIDs.
Dear Keith:
Technically you are completely correct, but most “men and women in the street” think of acetominophen as “just another NSAID” and use it with that perspective — rightly or wrongly (particularly here in America).
Very helpful. How about adding FLA (focal laser ablation) and PI-RADS (Prostate Imaging-Recording and Data System).
Edward:
Good idea. Thank you. It will be done later today!
This is a great list of definitions. How can I print it out?. There is no print function to allow for this.
Dear Dale:
If you click on the “File” function of your web browser, you should be able to print thsi document with no problem.
Please add TULSA PRO = Transurethral ULtra Sound Ablation of the PROstate
Dear Wolfram:
TULSA-PRO is a trademarked name for a particular type of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). We do not include trademarked names in this list of abbreviations.