adjuvant therapy: Treatment given following the primary treatment to enhance the effectiveness of the primary treatment. Adjuvant therapy may be chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy.

benign (beh-NINE): Not cancerous; does not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body.

cancer: A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

chemotherapy (kee-mo-THER-a-pee): Treatment with anticancer drugs.

clinical trial: A research study that evaluates the effectiveness of new interventions in people. Each study is designed to evaluate new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of cancer.

computed tomography (tuh-MAH-gra-fee): A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body; the pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. Also called computed tomography (CT) scan or computed axial tomography (CAT) scan.

cryptorchidism (kript-OR-kid-izm): A condition in which one or both testicles fail to move from the abdomen, where they develop before birth, into the scrotum. Cryptorchidism may increase the risk for development of testicular cancer. Also called undescended testicles.

ejaculation: The release of semen through the penis during orgasm.

fertility (fer-TIL-i-tee): The ability to produce children.

groin: The area where the thigh meets the abdomen.

hormones: Chemicals produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream. Hormones control the actions of certain cells or organs.

impotent (IM-po-tent): Inability to have an erection adequate for sexual intercourse.

inguinal orchiectomy (IN-gwin-al or-kee-EK-toe-mee): An operation in which the testicle is removed through an incision in the groin.

intravenous pyelography (in-tra-VEE-nus pye-LAH-gra-fee): IVP. X-ray study of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. The x-rays are taken after a dye is injected into a blood vessel. The dye is concentrated in the urine, which outlines the kidneys, ureters, and bladder on the x-rays.

local therapy: Treatment that affects cells in the tumor and the area close to it.

lymph (limf): The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease.

lymph nodes: Small organs located throughout the body along the channels of the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes store special cells that fight infection and other diseases. Clusters of lymph nodes are found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen. Also called lymph glands.

lymphangiography (lim-FAN-jee-AH-gra-fee): An x-ray study of the lymphatic system. A dye is injected into a lymphatic vessel and travels throughout the lymphatic system. The dye outlines the lymphatic vessels and organs on the x-ray.

malignant (ma-LIG-nant): Cancerous; a growth with a tendency to invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

metastasize (meh-TAS-ta-size): To spread from one part of the body to another. When cancer cells metastasize and form secondary tumors, the cells in the metastatic tumor are like those in the original (primary) tumor.

nonseminoma (non-sem-ih-NO-ma): A group of testicular cancers that begin in the germ cells (cells that give rise to sperm). Nonseminomas are identified by the type of cell they begin in and include embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, choriocarcinoma, and yolk sac carcinoma.

pathologist (pa-THOL-o-jist): A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

prosthesis (pros-THEE-sis): An artificial replacement of a part of the body.

radiation therapy (ray-dee-AY-shun): Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) uses high-energy radiation from x-rays, neutrons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy) or from materials (radioisotopes) that produce radiation that are placed in or near the tumor or in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy, implant radiation, or brachytherapy). Systemic radiation therapy involves giving a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that circulates throughout the body.

recur: To occur again. Recurrence is the return of cancer, at the same site as the original (primary) tumor or in another location, after it had disappeared.

scrotum (SKRO-tum): The external pouch of skin that contains the testicles.

seminoma (sem-in-O-ma): A type of testicular cancer that develops from the cells that give rise to sperm cells (germ cells).

staging: Doing exams and tests to learn the extent of the cancer within the body, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

sterile: The inability to produce children.

surgery: A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out if disease is present.

systemic (sis-TEM-ik): Affecting the entire body.

tissue (TISH-oo): A group or layer of cells that together perform specific functions.

tumor (TOO-mer): An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division. Tumors perform no useful body function. They may be either benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

tumor marker: Substances sometimes found in an increased amount in the blood, other body fluids, or tissues and which may suggest the presence of some types of cancer. Tumor markers include CA 125 (ovarian cancer), CA 15-3 (breast cancer), CEA (ovarian, lung, breast, pancreas, and GI tract cancers), and PSA (prostate cancer). Also called biomarkers.

ultrasonography(UL-tra-son-OG-ra-fee): A study in which sound waves (called ultrasound) are bounced off tissues and the echoes are converted into a picture (sonogram).

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