When using a new or unusual acronym or abbreviation, authors are encouraged to spell out the phrase and put the acronym or abbreviation in parentheses the first time it is used (e.g., The diploid index number (DIN) was found to be ...).

3DXRT - 3-dimensional external radiation therapy
3DCRT - 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy
5AR - 5 alpha reductase
A - aneuploid
A1,A2 - see staging
AAT - androgen ablation therapy
AAWR - antiandrogen withdrawal response
ABDCTSCAN - abdominal CAT scan
ACTH - adrenal corticotrophic hormone
ADT - androgen deprivation therapy
AG - aminoglutethemide
AFUD - American Federation for Urologic Disease
ALK PHOS - alkaline phosphatase
ALT - alanine aminotransferase
ANEUP - aneuploid
AST - aspartate aminotransferase
AT - aneuploid/tetraploid
AUA - American Urological Association
B0-B2 - see staging
BILI - bilirubin
BP - Bluestein prediction
BPH - benign prostatic hyperplasia (also hypertrophy)
BPSA - baseline PSA (e.g., prior to dianosis)
BRACHY - brachytherapy
BS - bone scan (sometimes indicated as B/S)
BTW - by the way
BUN - blood urea nitrogen
B/P - blood pressure
BX - biopsy
C1,C2 - see staging
CAB - complete androgen blockade
CaP - cancer of the prostate
CAT SCAN - computerized axial tomography (see CT scan)
CBC - complete blood count
CBI - continuous bladder irrigation (used after TURP/bladder surgery)
CDUS - color-flow Doppler ultrasound
CEA - carcinoembryonic antigen
CGA - chromogranin A
CHB - combined hormone blockade (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 (CHB)
CHTx3 or CHT3 - see CHB3
CIS - cancer information service (of NCI) 1-800-4-CANCER
Or
CIS - carcinoma in situ (commonly indicates transitional cell carcinoma in situ of the bladder)
CPA - cyproterone acetate
CP - capsular penetration
Or
CP (also for "Chronic Prostatitis" if used in the context of discussing this condition...)
CPPS - Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (The newer and more proper term for "chronic prostatitis")
CREAT - creatinine (also used is Cr)
CRYO - cryotherapy, cryoablation, cryosurgery
CS - clinical stage
CT SCAN - computerized tomography (also known as CAT scan or simply CT)
CX - culture
D - diploid
D0-D3 - see staging
DES - diethylstilbestrol
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
EPO - erythropoeitin (Procrit, Epogen)
EPS - expressed prostatic secretions
ESAD - (eat s...oops, how'd that get in here!)
ESWL - extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (also known as SWL)
EXBT - external beam therapy
EXRT - external radiation therapy
FDA - Food and Drug Administration (USA)
FSH - follicle stimulating hormone
FWIW - for what it's worth
FYA - for your amusement
FYI - for your information
G - Gleason's score
GG - Gleason's grade
GNRH - genadotropin-releasing hormone
GP - general practitioner
GS - Gleason's score
HC - hydrocortisone
HCT - hemotocrit
HDK - high dose ketoconazole (brand name Nizoral)
HGB - hemoglobin
HMO - health maintenance organization
HPF - high powered field (under a microscope)
HRPC - hormone refractory prostate cancer
HT - hormone therapy
IAS - intermittent androgen suppression
IC - interstitial cystitis
ICI - intracavernosal injection (a treatment for ED)
ICHT - intermittent combined hormone therapy
IHT - intermittent hormone therapy
IMHO - in my humble opinion
IMNSHO- in my not so humble opinion
IVP - intravenous pyelogram
IV - intravenous, into a vein
LF - laser fulguration; also: left side
LH - luteinizing hormone
LHRH - luteinizing hormone releasing hormone
LNCap - cell line of human prostate cancer used in laboratory studies
LUTS - lower urinary tract symptoms (also known as obstructive or irritative voiding symptoms)
M0,M1 - see staging
MAB - maximal androgen blockade
MAD - maximal androgen deprivation
MCP - modified citrus pectin
MD - moderately differentiated, medical doctor
MRI - magnetic resonance imaging
N0-N3 - see staging
NCI - National Cancer Institute (USA)
NDPSA - non-detectable PSA
NEG - negative
NHB - neoadjuvant hormone blockage
NHT - neoadjuvant hormone therapy
NIH - National Institutes of Health (USA)
NL - nil (non-detectable response)
NP - Narayan prediction
NSE - neuron-specific enolase
ORCH - orchiectomy
P53 - p53 gene
PAACT - Patient Advocates for Advancement in Cancer Therapy
PAP - prostatic acid phosphatase
PC - prostate cancer
PCa - prostate cancer
PCD - prostate cancer [personal] digest
PD - poorly differentiated
PDQ - physician's data query
PE - premature ejaculation
PIN - prostatic intraepithelial (or intraductal) neoplasia
PNI - perineural invasion
POS - positive
PP - Partin prediction
PPO - preferred provider organization
PRL - prolactin
PSA - prostate specific antigen
PSA II - prostate-specific antigen type II assay (aka Free/Total PSA ratio)
PSA RT-PCR - PSA reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
PSAD - PSA density (PSA divided by prostate volume in grams-- >0.15 is "abnormal")
PSADT - PSA doubling time
PSAV - PSA velocity
PSM - prostate specific membrane
PSMA - prostate specific membrane antigen
PV - prostate volume
PVR - post-void residual
Q - Quercetin
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
RT PCR PSA - reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction done on PSA
RT PCR PSM - reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction done on PSM
RX - prescribed medications
SI - seed implantation
SP - saw palmetto
SV - seminal vesicle
T - testosterone, also tetraploid
T0-T4 - see staging
TAB - total androgen blockade
TETRA - tetraploid
TRUS - transrectal ultrasound
TRUS/BX - transrectal ultrasound and biopsy
TRUS-P or TRUSP - transrectal ultrasound of the prostate
TTND - time to non-detectable
TUIBNC - transurethral incision of bladder neck contracture
TUIP - transurethral incision of the prostate
TUMT - transurethral microwave thermotherapy
TURBNC - transurethral resection of bladder neck contracture
TURBT - transurethral resection of bladder tumor
TUR-ED - transurethral resection of the ejaculatory ducts
TURP, TUR/P - transurethral resection of the prostate
TX - treatment
TZ - transition zone (of prostate)
US - ultrasound
UTI - urinary tract infection
URL - universal resource locator; e.g., an address on the WWW
URS - ureterorenoscopy
VB3 - void bottle 3 (part of the Stamey-Meares segmented culture technique)
VIU - visual internal urethrotomy
WBC - white blood cell
WBC/HPF - white blood cells counted per high powered field (of a microscope.)
WD - well differentiated
WW - watchful waiting
WWW - world wide web, part of the Internet
XRT - x-ray therapy (often means external beam)
XRBT - external beam radiotherapy
YO - year(s) old

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This list is by no means complete. It was adapted from a prostate cancer list, and may not include other commonly used urological abbreviations.

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 Many entries were taken with the generous permission of the following resources: Prostate Cancer InfoLink Dictionary, by Mike Scott, located at: the above link, and Prostate Cancer Library, by Ron Koster: Glossary of PC Related Medical Terms, and Diagnostic and Staging Tests originated on the Prostate Cancer Bulletin Board on Prodigy. Steve Strum and Tom Brodzeller provided many abbreviations.

This list was copied from the Usenet verbatim...all acknowledgements above are definitely in order. I have added a few abbreviations for the benefit of others from groups other than prostate cancer newsgroups...DLC
 

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