Glossary

On this page, you will find a list of definitions in alphabetic order for men's health-related terms.

A

Abstinence – the practice of not doing or having something that is wanted or enjoyable.
Active Surveillance – a way of monitoring localised (early) prostate cancer, rather than treating it straight away.
Adjuvant therapy – additional cancer treatment given after the primary treatment to lower the risk that the cancer will come back. Adjuvant therapy may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or biological therapy.
Advanced cancer – cancer that has spread from the original (primary) site or has come back (recurred).
Androgen – a male sex hormone, such as testosterone.
Androgen deprivation – treatment to suppress or block the production or action of male hormones. This is done by having the testicles removed, by taking female sex hormones, or by taking drugs called antiandrogens. Also called androgen ablation and androgen suppression.
Anterior – nearer the front, especially in the front of the body. The opposite of posterior.
Antibodies – specialised cells of the immune system that can recognise organisms that invade the body (such as bacteria, viruses and fungi).
Anus – the opening at the lower end of the digestive tract through which solid waste is eliminated from the body.
Asymptomatic – without symptoms.

B

Benign – doing little or no harm; not malignant; not cancerous.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate gland that commonly occurs in men after the age of 50. It sometimes leads to compression of the urethra and obstruction of the flow of urine.
Bilateral – relating to both the right and left sides of the body or of a body structure.
Biopsy – the process of removing tissue from the body and examining it under a microscope to determine whether disease is present. When a wide needle is used, the procedure is called a core biopsy. When a thin needle is used, the procedure is called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Bladder – the organ that stores urine.
Bowel – a general term for the small and large intestines.
Brachytherapy – a type of radiation therapy in which radioactive material sealed in needles, seeds, wires or catheters is placed directly into or near a tumour. Also called radiation brachytherapy.

C

Cancer – a disease of the cells, which are the body’s basic building blocks. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. These abnormal cells can damage or invade the surrounding tissues or spread to other parts of the body, causing further damage.
Catheter – a flexible tube inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, particularly the bladder, for removing fluid.
Chemotherapy – treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection or infusion, or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biological therapy.
Circumcision – the surgical removal of the foreskin or prepuce of the penis .
Climaturia – the involuntary leakage of urine at the time of orgasm. It can be a relatively common side effect of radical prostatectomy (the surgical removal of the prostate gland).
Continence – the ability to control movements of the bowels and bladder.

D

Diabetes – a metabolic disorder that causes the body to be unable to properly produce insulin and regulate its blood sugar levels.
Digital rectal examination (DRE) – an examination in which a doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for abnormalities.
Dysfunction – abnormal or impaired functioning of a bodily system or organ.
Dysuria – painful or difficult urination.

E

Ejaculate – to discharge fluid, especially semen, from the erect penis.
Erection – the swelling of the penis with blood, causing it to become firm.
Erectile dysfunction – an inability to have an erection of the penis adequate for penetrative sex. It is also commonly called impotence.

F

Fertility preservation – a procedure to preserve a person’s ability to have children. This procedure is done before a medical treatment that may cause infertility, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Examples of fertility preservation procedures include sperm banking, egg freezing, in vitro fertilisation with embryo freezing, and certain types of surgery for cervical and ovarian cancer.
Flaccid – limp; not firm or stiff.

G

Genetic mutations – a change in one or more genes. Some mutations can lead to genetic disorders or illnesses.
Genotype – a complete set of genetic material.
Germ cell tumour – growths of cells that form from reproductive cells and may be cancerous or not cancerous. Most germ cell tumours occur in the testicles or the ovaries.
Germline genetics – the germline is the population of a multicellular organism’s cells that pass on their genetic material to the progeny (offspring). In other words, they are the cells that form the egg, sperm and fertilised egg.
Gland – an organ that makes one or more substances, such as hormones, digestive juices, sweat, tears, saliva or milk. Endocrine glands release the substances directly into the bloodstream. Exocrine glands release the substances into a duct or opening to the inside or outside of the body.
Gleason score – a way of describing prostate cancer based on how abnormal the cancer cells in a biopsy sample look under a microscope and how quickly they are likely to grow and spread. It is used to help plan treatment and determine prognosis (outcome). Most prostate cancers contain cells that are different grades; the Gleason score is calculated by adding together the two grades of cancer cells that make up the largest areas of the biopsied tissue sample. It usually ranges from 6 to 10, and the lower the Gleason score, the more the cancer cells look like normal cells and are likely to grow and spread slowly.
Gynecomastia – excessive development of the breast in the male.

H

Haematuria – the presence of blood or blood cells in the urine.
Hormone – a substance formed in some organ of the body, such as the adrenal glands, and carried by a bodily fluid to another organ or tissue, where it has a specific effect.
Hormone therapy – also called endocrine therapy or hormone-blocking therapy. Some cancers – including some types of breast, uterine and prostate cancers – grow in response to particular hormones. These cancers are known as hormone-dependent cancers. The aim of hormone therapy is to slow or stop the growth of hormone receptor positive cells and, therefore, control the cancer.
Hypertrophy – to grow or cause to grow abnormally large.

I

Impotence – an abnormal physical or psychological state of a male characterised by the inability to engage in sexual intercourse because of failure to have or maintain an erection. Also known as erectile dysfunction.
Immunotherapy – a type of therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. Some types of immunotherapy only target certain cells of the immune system, while others affect the immune system in a general way. Types of immunotherapy include cytokines, vaccines, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and some monoclonal antibodies.
Incontinence – the partial or complete loss of bladder or bowel control.
Infertility – the inability to produce children.
Intercourse – physical sexual contact between individuals that involves the genitalia of at least one person.
Intravenous – within or administered into a vein.
IVF (in vitro fertilisation) – fertilisation achieved by mixing sperm with eggs that have been surgically removed from an ovary and implanting one or more of the resulting fertilized eggs into a uterus.

J

K

Klinefelter syndrome – a genetic disorder in males caused by having one or more extra X chromosomes. Males with this disorder may have larger than normal breasts, a lack of facial and body hair, a rounded body type and small testicles. They may learn to speak much later than other children and may have difficulty learning to read and write. Klinefelter syndrome increases the risk of developing extra-gonadal germ cell tumours and breast cancer.

L

Libido – sexual desire related to sexual pleasure.
Localised – to accumulate in or be restricted to a specific or limited area.
Locally advanced cancer – cancer that has grown outside the body part it started in but has not yet spread to other parts of the body.
Lutetium-177 – a radioactive drug used to treat adults with PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen)-positive prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and has not responded to treatments that lower testosterone levels. It’s used in patients whose cancer has been treated with an androgen receptor inhibitor and a type of anticancer drug called a taxane. The lutetium-177 binds to the PSMA – a protein that is found on some prostate cancer cells – and gives off radiation that may kill the cancer cells.
Lymph node – small structures that work as filters for harmful substances. They contain immune cells that can help fight infection by attacking and destroying germs that are carried in through the lymph fluid.

M

Masculinity – the sum of the qualities that are considered ‘typical’ of men. There is no single fixed version of masculinity; it typically responds to norms, scripts, and cultural practices and expectations.
Malignant – tending to invade normal tissue or to recur after removal; cancerous.
Mammogram – an X-ray of the breast.
Metastasis – the spreading of cancer from where it started to another body part.
Metastatic cancer – cancer that has spread. If it can’t be cured or controlled with treatment, it’s often thought of as advanced.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan – a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body. Unlike CT and PET scans, MRI does not involve X-rays or the use of ionising radiation.

N

O

Oestrogen – a type of hormone made by the body that helps develop and maintain female sex characteristics and the growth of long bones.
Orchidectomy – surgery to remove one or both testicles. Also called orchiectomy.
Orgasm – involves contraction of sexual organs and a sudden release of endorphins, leading to a feeling of pleasure. In males, orgasm usually occurs with the ejaculation of semen.

P

Pelvic floor muscles – the set of muscles spanning the bottom of the pelvis that support the pelvic organs: the bladder, bowel and (in women) uterus or womb.
Penile implant – a firm rod or inflatable device by making it possible to have and keep an erection. A treatment for impotence, the device is implanted into the penis during a surgical procedure.
Penile rings – devices that fit around the base of the penis to help maintain an erection longer. They work by closing off the veins and, therefore, the blood flow out of the penis. They can be used alone or with a penis pump, a device that helps you to get an erection. Also known colloquially as a ‘ED ring’ (for ‘erectile dysfunction’) or ‘cock-ring’.
Penis (or penile) pump – a non-medicated treatment for erectile issues. The device consists of a plastic tube, a hand- or battery-operated pump, and a constriction ring for the base of the penis. The device is a safe and effective alternative to medications and more invasive procedures. Also known as a vacuum pump.
PET-CT (positron emission tomography – computed tomography) scan – a procedure that combines the pictures from a PET scan and a CT scan, which are done at the same time with the same machine. The combined scans give more detailed pictures of areas inside the body than either scan gives by itself. A PET-CT scan may be used to help diagnose disease, such as cancer; to plan treatment; or to find out how well treatment is working.
Peyronie’s disease – a noncancerous condition resulting from fibrous scar tissue that develops on the penis and causes curved, painful erections. While having a curved erection isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, Peyronie’s disease causes a significant bend or pain in some men.
Prostate – a gland in the male reproductive system. The prostate surrounds the part of the urethra (the tube that empties the bladder) just below the bladder and produces a fluid that forms part of the semen.
PSA (protein-specific antigen) – a protein made by the prostate gland and found in the blood. PSA blood levels may be higher than normal in men who have prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an infection or inflammation of the prostate gland.
PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) – a protein found in prostate cancer cells.
Psychosexual therapy – a form of therapy that focuses on talking about feelings, thoughts and emotions when being intimate with ourselves or others.

Q

R

Radionuclide – an unstable form of a chemical element that releases radiation as it breaks down, becoming more stable.
Radiotherapy – the use of high-energy radiation from X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external beam radiation therapy) or from radioactive material placed in the body near the cancer cells (internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy).

S

Scrotum – the external pouch that, in most mammals, contains the testes.
Semen – the fluid released through the penis during orgasm. Semen is made up of sperm from the testicles and fluid from the prostate and other sex glands.
Seminoma – a germ cell tumour of the testicle or, more rarely, the mediastinum or other extra-gonadal locations.
Sildenafil – a drug that is used to treat erectile dysfunction in males.
Stromal tumour – a tumour that arises in the supporting connective tissue of an organ.

T

Testicles, testes – the male sex and endocrine glands, found in some types of animals, that produce sperm and male sex hormones, including the steroid testosterone.
Testosterone – a hormone made mainly in the testes. It is necessary for the development and maintenance of male sex characteristics such as facial hair, a deep voice and muscle growth. Testosterone may also be made in the laboratory and is used to treat certain medical conditions.
Theranostics – an approach to treating cancer that uses both diagnosis and therapy tools as part of the treatment. Theranostics uses PET scan imaging (a special type of scan) to see if specific targets, known as tumour receptors, are present on tumour cells.
Tumour – an abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should.

U

Ultrasound – the use of ultrasonic waves for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, specifically to image an internal body structure.
Urethra – the tube through which urine in the bladder leaves the body.
Urinary incontinence – the inability to hold urine in the bladder.
Urinary retention – the inability to pass urine even though you feel the need to do so and your bladder is full. It can last for a short or long time and needs to be treated, as it can cause kidney damage or other serious complications.
Urinary sheath – an option for men with urinary incontinence who don’t want to, or can’t, wear pads. The sheath fits over the penis like a condom and drains the urine into a drainage bag. They are often called uridomes or condom drainage.
Urinary sphincter – the muscular structure that regulates the flow of urine from the bladder into the urethra. When these muscles contract, the urethra narrows and urination stops or slows. There are two sphincters: the external urethral sphincter controls voluntary urine flow, and the internal controls involuntary flow.

V

Vacuum pump - see penile pump (above).

WXYZ

Zygote - a fertilized egg cell.

Glossary

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

WXYZ

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